


Sealed With a Vow

by Christine_Seguin



Category: None - Fandom
Genre: Arranged Marriage, CEO, Cheating, Drama, F/M, Humor, Jealousy, Love, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-14
Updated: 2016-10-02
Packaged: 2018-02-17 08:46:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 45
Words: 111,610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2303732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Christine_Seguin/pseuds/Christine_Seguin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>22-year old Claire Delaney's life turns upside down following the death of her beloved father, Mark Delaney, who happens to be the CEO of Delaney Corp.- one of the most successful hotel chains worldwide. She thought things would go back to the way they were once her older brother took over the business...but unfortunately that wasn't the case. Mark's last dying wish? Marry off his daughter to the owner of Weston Hotel Group, in order to maintain the partnership between both thriving companies and prevent any competition. Can Claire possibly seek love in an arranged marriage, or will she be forced to spend the rest of her days with a total stranger? Read to find out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Losing Everything

 

It was a dark, stormy night in San Diego. Rain poured heavily onto the streets as the howling of the wind caused the palm trees to shake violently.

I stood next to my bedroom window, watching as a streak of lightning illuminated the sky before closing the curtains. Thunderstorms had always scared me ever since I was a little girl. I mean, everyone's afraid of something, right?

After shutting all of the windows in my ridiculously large "home", I headed into the living room and turned on the TV, making myself comfortable on the leather couch.

Today marked the start of the NHL draft, an annual event that brought joy and pride to many hopeful young hockey players around the nation. But to me, the draft would always be a constant reminder of the day I lost my best friend- Nick Schneider.

To begin with, my older brother and I were born and raised in California, in a small town just a few miles south of here. At the age of three, my family moved to Minnesota since Dad's company was relocated there. He eventually went on to become the CEO of his own hotel business, but that's a different story.

Nick and I met my first day of preschool. He was an adorable little boy, with stunning hazel eyes and thick brown hair. I was playing with a group of kids and one of them suddenly grabbed the Barbie doll that was in my hand and yelled, "mine!".

Tears rolled down my chubby cheeks and immediately, Nick sought to get me my doll back.

"Give it back to her, you bully!", he ordered, attempting to take it from the kid, whose name was Mike.

Right away, he handed the doll over to Nick, with a frightened expression on his face. I didn't blame him for being scared because at the time, he  _was_ the tallest kid in our class.

The moment Nick returned the doll to me, I knew that we'd become the best of friends. And indeed we were.

He and I both started playing hockey once we turned four since it was our favorite sport and we attended the same school all the way through our senior year.

We were inseparable. In fact, I'd spent most of my days growing up over at the Schneider's place because my parents were always busy with work and away on business trips. Nick's family had become really close to me as well.

When it came time for us to go to college, Nick and I had to head our own ways. I was done with hockey after high school, but he went on to play for the University of Minnesota. He'd become a sensational athlete. I on the other hand, had received a full scholarship to attend Stanford, my dream college.

Although Nick and I were in separate states, we always kept in touch. Just three years ago, the Chicago Blackhawks- our favorite hockey team- won the Stanley Cup and we had the chance to watch the game, thanks to my dad who bought the tickets.

I couldn't have been any happier, but little did I know that my life would begin to fall apart later that month.

The NHL Draft was held in Minneapolis that year two weeks after the Hawks had claimed the Cup. I had high hopes for Nick and he insisted I attend the draft with him and his family, so I did.

At that point in time, my feelings for Nick had escalated and I realized that I loved him. I couldn't imagine life without him and I wanted us to take our friendship to the next step. Hopefully, he'd feel the same way once I told him later.

Nick ended up getting drafted by none other than the Chicago Blackhawks that day as their third overall pick. I remembered the huge smile he had on his face as he stood on stage with his parents like it was just yesterday.

The fact that Nicholas Andrew Schneider-  _my_  Nick- would be playing in the NHL was just mind boggling. I was unbelievably proud of him, and I bet his friends and family were too.

Following the draft, Nick and I had some alone time as we walked around downtown. And that's when I confessed my love for him. At first, I was afraid that I had ruined our friendship and that he didn't feel the same way, but to my surprise, he grabbed my face and kissed me.

"I love you too, Claire. I always have," Nick had said with a grin on his boyish face.

_Hallelujah_ , I thought to myself.

"Promise you won't forget about me once you become rich and famous?", I asked teasingly.

"I promise. I'll even tell Kaner you say hi once I meet him."

"Oh my gosh, you will?! Schneider, you're honestly the best," I exclaimed, throwing my arms around Nick.

After all, Patrick Kane  _was_  my favorite Blackhawk. I'd only met him once before a game back in tenth grade, and that was the day he had signed my jersey.

"I know I am, Delaney," he said with a smirk.

That night, Nick and a few of his college buddies went out to celebrate at a club downtown. I had decided to stay home and spend time with my family even though he had begged me to come with him.

It was eleven as I was getting ready for bed when the home phone rang. I ran to the kitchen to answer it, wondering who could possibly be calling at this hour.

"Hello?", I spoke.

"Claire? It's me. You have to come here now."

I recognized the voice as Nick's mom, but why on earth did she sound so nervous and panicky?

"Mrs. Schneider? What are you talking about? Go where?"

"The hospital. Nick...h-he's been in an accident," she replied, her voice trembling.

"Oh my god," I gasped, dropping the phone.

***

A half hour later, I was at Fairview Hospital in the ER, dressed in my pjs.

The doctor explained that Nick and his friends had gotten into a car accident due to a drunk driver on their way back from the club. What caused me to sink even deeper was the fact that most of the damage was on the driver's side...where Nick had sat.

According to the doctor and nurses, he had the smallest chance of surviving. His injuries were too serious and there was little they could do. And that's when I began to lose it.

"How can you possibly say that?! You're just going to let him die like this?!", I lashed out at the medical staff.

"Miss, I'm sorry to say it, but your friend has lost too much blood," the doctor said calmly.

"So his friends get to live but he doesn't?"

"I'm afraid that's going to be the case."

My lips began to quiver as tears flooded my eyes and I rushed to the nearest chair. I completely broke down, the pain and grief consuming me.

I wished for all of this to be a nightmare and that I'd wake up eventually. But it was as real as the salty taste of my tears.

When I finally was able to regain my composure, I headed back to the hallway and asked to see Nick.

The doctor led me to his room, located at the end of the hall on the left. My mom and dad were already in there, seeking to comfort his parents.

"We should probably leave you two alone for a bit," Nick's dad spoke, looking at me and then his son, who was lying on the bed.

"Thank you," I said quietly, giving him and his wife a hug before they all left.

I pulled out a chair and sat down besides Nick, observing his facial features. I did my best to avoid glancing at his torso and lower body, which were severely wounded.

There was no doubt that he had been the best-looking guy in our high school class. The girls were always crazy about him. I still remembered how strikingly handsome he looked at our prom last year.

Not only that, but Nick was the kindest, most thoughtful guy I'd ever met. He would always be the first person I went to if anything was wrong.

He also had a sense of leadership, hence why he was the captain of the boys' hockey team back in high school. I bet Nick would've made a great captain for the Hawks too if he'd gotten the chance.

I took his hand in mine and stroked it with my thumb, wishing that he would open his eyes so I could look into those mesmerizing hazel orbs one last time.

I began to shut my tired eyelids when I heard a muffled cough coming from Nick.

"Nick, can you hear me?!", I quickly exclaimed, stroking his pale, lifeless face with the palm of my hand.

"Please say something," I pleaded.

He coughed some more, barely holding on. But he was still alive. For now.

"Listen to me. I'm so grateful to have had you in my life and no matter what happens, you'll always be my best friend...and I'll never stop loving you," I said gently, placing a kiss on his forehead.

"Claire?", I heard him moan.

_Oh thank God._

"Shh. I'm right here," I whispered, stroking his hand reassuringly.

"I-I want you to keep my draft jersey. So that you'll never forget me," he spoke, his voice barely audible.

"Nick, I will never forget you. Just please, don't leave me," I begged, my body shaking as I cried.

"I love you," he whispered before everything went silent.

Nick Schneider died that night in my arms, at the young age of nineteen. The drunk driver guilty of killing him had taken away his hopes and dreams of becoming the pro hockey player that he was supposed to be.

And because of that guy, I had also lost the love of my life. Oh how I prayed that he'd rot in hell for an eternity for what he did.

My world just wasn't the same after Nick left, and there wasn't a single day that I didn't think about him. His funeral had been the saddest day of my life, and I'd never forget it. 

I kept his Blackhawks jersey in a box and whenever I missed him, I'd take it out, reminiscing about the memories of the day he first put it on.

***

It had been three years since Nick's death that summer. College was going well for me. In fact, I would be receiving my bachelor's degree in business this coming spring.

On a different note, my dad's company was becoming extremely successful, and he even managed to get a partnership deal with this other hotel company that was based in California. Weston Hotel Group was its name. I heard that the owner was quite young too, in his early 20s or something.

Unfortunately, my poor father wasn't able to live to see the day his company reached success around the globe. He suffered a major heart attack on Christmas Day and passed away. My older brother, Justin, became the new CEO of Delaney Corp. shortly after.

Why were all the people I loved and cared about leaving me? First Nick, now my father?

My mother went through an emotional breakdown for months and as for me, let's say my life turned into hell. Just when I thought that I was going to get my bachelor's, I was forced to drop out of college.

Apparently, while he was still alive, my father had plans to marry me off to the owner of Weston Hotel Group once I turned twenty-two, so that both companies would maintain their partnership. And the marriage was also supposed to prevent any competition between them.

I was absolutely outraged. For god's sake, I had a bright future planned for myself! And getting married was definitely not a part of it! How could my father do this to me? Did he even love me?

The night before my wedding in California, since that was where my husband-to-be lived, I lied in bed, crying for hours as I thought about how horrible my life was about to become.

I had only met Derek Weston once, but already, I could tell that I'd hate him. Who even cared if he was good-looking?

It was then that I wished I could've been up in heaven with Nick because honestly, what was the point of living when I'd lost everything?


	2. The New Life

 

I didn't even realize that I had fallen asleep on the couch when the sound of the front door opening woke me up.

_Oh great,_ **_he_ ** _was home._

Derek switched on the living room lights and immediately, my hands went to shield my eyes from the sudden brightness. Geez, did he really have to do that? For god's sake, I was having such a nice dream!

He was about to make his way upstairs but then paused when he saw me. What did he want now?

"If you're not gonna watch the TV, then turn it off," he ordered with a stern voice.

"Well sor-ry. I fell asleep," I stated, rolling my eyes. Did he always have to be this bossy?

"Have you had dinner yet?", Derek asked, undoing his tie.

_Yes hon, I'm pretty sure everyone eats dinner before two in the morning._

"Yup. I left you a plate on the table as well. You'll probably have to microwave it though 'cause its been sitting out for hours. Speaking of which, where have you been?"

"Work," he replied before heading upstairs.

_Of course._

That was always his excuse. I bet he slept with a different girl every night, although I couldn't care less about what he did.

I directed my attention back to the TV and since nothing good was on, I switched it off.

_There, you happy now, Derek?_

I went to the kitchen to grab a glass of water. My stomach suddenly began rumbling, so I decided to eat something light. I opened up the fridge and took out some leftover salad from dinner.

Derek showed up as I was sitting down at the table...wearing nothing but boxers. His abs were visible and I inmediately scolded myself for even staring at them. Seriously, was it that hard to put a shirt on?

I hated to admit it, but my husband was indeed as handsome as everyone claimed him to be. He was quite tall, around 6'2", with dark brown hair and the bluest eyes. His jawline was chiseled to perfection, and he had the body of a Greek god.

If only he was as beautiful on the inside as he was outside.

Derek's personality seriously made me want to throw up sometimes. He could be so rude and demanding. But once in a blue moon, he'd do something nice for me- like carry one grocery bag when we go shopping while I carry the other five.

Pathetic, I know.

I usually went by myself though. I tried to avoid sitting in a car with him as much as I could. It'd get awkward because neither of us would talk. You could say that he and I were like the north and south poles. Complete opposites of each other.

To be honest, I didn't even know that much about him, and it had already been over six months since we got married back in January. He was still just a stranger to me. 

As far as I was concerned, Derek James Weston was an extremely rich and successful CEO at the age of twenty-four. And he had a suckish personality.

"Aren't you supposed to be in bed?", Derek asked, pulling out a chair across from me to eat his "dinner".

I swear, if I ate this late like he did everyday, my stomach would've been the size of a giant balloon by now. But then again, the guy worked out a lot, so I guess it balanced everything out.

"I'm eating," I replied with a blank face, waving my fork in the air, which caused the tomato that was on it to fall to the ground.

_Oops, I shouldn't have done that._

"Smooth," Derek commented with a chuckle.

"Oh be quiet."

I reached down to pick it up, accidentally banging my head against the table during the process. And of course, I looked up to see Derek laughing his ass off. It was a deep sound that made me feel all tingly inside.

Whoa, what on earth was I saying? Did I even hit the table  _that_  hard?

"God, you can be so funny sometimes," he said with a teasing smile.

"Just shut up and eat your dinner."

And everything was back to being quiet again.

The truth was, I couldn't even remember the last time we ate together. Derek would always leave for work early in the morning and then come home super late. Maybe it was just his way of trying to avoid seeing me.

After I finished my salad, I left my plate in the sink then headed upstairs to my bedroom.

"Hey, Claire?", I heard Derek call from the kitchen.

"Yes?"

"What were you watching on TV?"

"The NHL draft," I replied. Why did he care?

"Oh, I didn't know you were a hockey fan," he remarked.

_Yes Derek, there's a lot you don't know about me._

And for the second time that day, my thoughts drifted to Nick Schneider. Tomorrow would mark the three-year anniversary of his death. I'd always visit his grave when I went to Minnesota to visit my mom and brother. And each time I did, the realization that he was truly gone would hurt more and more.

As soon as I got to my room, I pulled out the box from underneath my bed that contained Nick's jersey, blowing off the dust. I hadn't taken it out in a while, but tonight was just one of those nights. After all, it  _was_ draft day.

I held the red jersey close to my chest as tears spilled from my eyes. I could still imagine Nick's scent on it and the expression on his face when he had worn it.

"Oh Nick, why did you have to go?", I muttered out loud as I mourned for my best friend.

It was then that I felt truly alone and wanted nothing more than to have Nick by my side again. I climbed into bed with the jersey still in my hand and cried, letting all of my emotions out.

I heard Derek coming up the stairs and then his footsteps headed in the direction of my room. Immediately, I forced myself to stop crying so that he wouldn't hear me.

"Claire, are you all right in there?", he asked, knocking on my door.

"I'm fine. I'm just blowing my nose. It  _is_  allergy season, right?", I lied.

"Oh. I thought I heard you crying or something. Never mind then."

And with that, Derek walked off, probably to his bedroom, which was located at the other end of the hall.

As soon as I was sure that he had left, I cried until I couldn't anymore before falling into a deep sleep.


	3. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

 

The first thing that came to mind when I woke up the following morning was the fact that it was Friday- which meant that I'd finally get to hang out with my best friend, Charlotte Decker.

A smile grew on my face as I got out of bed, but it disappeared as soon as I saw Nick's jersey lying there. Before putting it away, I sat down and said my prayers for him, fighting the urge to cry. I still couldn't believe that it had already been three years since that tragic day.

I glanced at my alarm clock and realized that I only had an hour to get ready. Charlotte and I were planning on having breakfast together and then go shopping til we dropped.

I met her my first year of college at one of the football games. She was a really funny and outgoing person, and we instantly bonded. I guessed the quote, "Every brunette needs a blonde best friend," held true to every girl. Well, for me at least. 

Last month, Charlotte received her bachelor's in finance and then immediately got a job offer downtown at Wells Fargo. I wasn't surprised. After all, she  _was_  a pretty intelligent girl. In fact, she and I had been in the top five of our class my last year at Stanford.

Following their graduation, Charlotte and her boyfriend of two years, Elliot, went on a trip to Paris for one week. Then afterwards, they flew to Germany and spent another three weeks there with her aunt. She just came back home a few days ago.

Since the weather looked warm and promising today, I decided to wear a strapless white summer dress with my favorite pair of tan-colored wedges. I left my hair in a ponytail and put on some mascara before heading out of my room.

My parents and friends had always told me that my brown eyes were my best feature. "With those beauties, you'll never need to put on eyeshadow," my mother used to say.

And according to Nick, my eyes "sparkled" whenever I smiled. I mean, how is that even possible? It's not like they're made of diamonds or anything.

I grabbed my keys from the kitchen counter then went to the garage, which to me looked more like a car dealership because of how spacious it was. I drove a silver Mercedes Benz c250 sports sedan, and I loved it like the child I'd never have.

My father had given it to me on my eighteenth birthday as a gift. Before that, I just drove a Chevy Malibu. I would never forget that old Chevy. It was my first car, one that I had bought with my own savings.

When the day came for me to sell it, I was pretty sad. But I just kept reminding myself that I had a new Mercedes waiting for me back home.

Now don't even get me started on my husband's cars. He owns four- a Cadillac Escalade, Range Rover, BMW i8, and Ford F-150 truck. He mostly drives the Range Rover, though.

I mean seriously, is it really necessary for  _one_ person to have  _four_  freaking cars?

At least Lamborghinis and Ferraris weren't on the list. I asked him once why he didn't have one, and he told me that he was never that crazy about them like other guys were. Personally, I always found those cars to be ridiculously expensive and overrated myself.

_**Finally** _ _, something_ _Derek and I shared in common._

It was nine thirty by the time I arrived at Richard Walker's Pancake House. I spotted Charlotte sitting at one of the tables and she motioned for me to come over.

"Hey, girlie!", she greeted cheerfully, giving me a huge hug.

"Welcome home, Char! I've missed you so much."

"Tell me about it. Here, sit down. I already ordered for us."

"Two plates of apple pancakes?"

"You bet," she replied with a wink.

Charlotte and I always ordered that whenever we came here. This was our favorite breakfast place in all of San Diego. The restaurant itself looked like a five-star hotel on the inside, but it was quite inexpensive. And the food was to die for.

"So, how was Paris and Germany?", I asked her eagerly.

"Oh my god, Paris was absolutely breathtaking. Here, I'll show you the pictures. And them French boys though...talk about sex appeal," she said, pretending to fan herself.

"Oh, Char," I chided, laughing at her as the both of us went through the photos she had taken on her phone.

"And Germany was so cool, too. I loved the Berlin Wall and Heidelberg Castle. Elliot- being the athlete that he is- completely freaked when we went to Olympic Stadium. I admit, it's pretty impressive."

"Sounds like you two had a great time," I remarked with a smile. I sometimes envied her for getting to be with the man of her dreams. It reminded me of what Nick and I used to be like.

"It was better than great, trust me. Oh, and before I forget, I got you a little something while I was in Munich," she said, handing me a small silver bag.

"Aww thanks, Char."

"No problem. So, what have you and Mr. Grumpy-Sexypants been up to?"

I burst out laughing and choked on my water the second those words left her mouth.

"What type of nickname is that?!", I exclaimed.

"Well, it's true. Derek is super sexy, but he's also a grumpy old oaf. You combine the two and that's what you get," she explained matter-of-factly.

God, this girl was killing me.

"He's not even  _that_  sexy. And to answer your question, nothing. You know the man hates my guts."

"Oh come on, you're exaggerating. Who could possibly hate a pretty thang like you?"

And this, ladies and gents, is exactly why Charlotte Decker is my best friend.

"Well for one thing, he acts like I don't even exist. And two, he's rude and bossy," I said.

"Um, I think that was three things. 'Rude' and 'bossy' are two already," Charlotte corrected.

"You get the point. I mean, I know it's his job to act bossy 'cause he's a CEO, but couldn't he at least act a bit nicer to me?"

"Derek may seem all cold on the outside, but inside, I bet he's hopelessly in love with you."

I swore, Charlotte had alcohol this morning...

"You're ins-,"

"Ooh look, our food's here," she blurted, directing her attention to our waiter, who was carrying the pancakes.

"Derek is a-,"

"Yummy, it looks delicious!"

"Will you listen to-!,"

"Bon appetit!"

I gave up.

***

Nine hours later, Charlotte and I were heading back to our cars, each of us with over eight shopping bags in our hands. We had spent the entire day at La Jolla Beach and then went to Westfield UTC to buy a ton of clothes and jewelry.

"Ugh, I don't think I'll ever be able to walk again," I groaned.

"Says the girl that used to play hockey and runs a mile everyday," Charlotte added with a teasing smile.

"Yeah, but you don't run in wedges. God, I really should've worn flip flops today."

"But you look cute. I don't know about you, but as long as my shoes look good on me, then I don't care how much they hurt."

"I'd much prefer comfort," I stated.

Charlotte suddenly stopped walking then turned to face me. Her face lit up as if something exciting had just popped into her head.

"You got any plans after this?", she asked.

"No...Why?"

"Let's go clubbing tonight!", she exclaimed with a squeal, grabbing my arm as she dragged me over to my car.

"But I'm so tired!", I protested.

"You won't be when we get there. Now go home and make yourself look hot. I'll come by and pick you up at nine."

She didn't even give me a chance to speak before rushing towards her car. I laughed to myself as I watched her stumble in her heels. Oh Char...

The idea of going to the club suddenly didn't seem so bad. I mean, what else was there for me to do at home besides get scolded by my husband?

I left all my bags in the trunk then drove back home, avoiding the traffic by taking an inner road that Derek had shown me once. He knew this entire state inside and out. I pretty much did myself too, since I used to go to college up in northern California and would always drive down South to visit the beaches.

As soon as I got home, I went to take a shower then changed into a black dress. It was tight and reached mid-thigh, emphasizing all of my curves and tan legs. But my favorite part about the dress was its sweetheart neckline, which was sparkly silver.

I curled my hair and left it down, then applied some mascara, lipstick, and eyeshadow. To finish it all off, I put on my new pair of black heels that I had just bought earlier today.

The doorbell rang at exactly nine and I headed downstairs to open it for Charlotte. She was always on time, and that was another thing I loved about her.

"All set? My, you look smokalicious," she complimented when she saw me, nodding with approval.

"Right back atcha. Where'd you get that dress?", I asked her.

"Elliot bought it for me a few months ago."

"Oh, no wonder it's a bit on the 'low' side," I said jokingly. Charlotte immediately looked down at her chest.

"Is it that bad?"

"Not at all. You look great," I assured. I especially loved her makeup because it brought out her deep blue eyes.

"Thanks. Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

We got to the club downtown called,  _Stingaree_ , forty minutes later. I had only been here once with Charlotte last year during our spring break. It was one of the more high-end clubs in San Diego.

After presenting our IDs, we headed inside, hearing Calvin Harris's,  _Summer_ , blare through the bass speakers. Everyone was dancing and having a good time, the atmosphere wild and entertaining.

"You want anything to drink first?", Charlotte asked me.

"Sure," I replied.

We walked over to the bar and each ordered a shot of tequila. I usually never drank alcohol, but tonight, I'd let loose for a change. I wasn't planning on getting drunk though.

Once the liquid reached my throat, my face scrunched up and Charlotte laughed. Unlike me, she was a pro at drinking. Between the both of us, she'd always been the party girl.

"We should go dance now!", I yelled over the loud music.

"Good idea! We can get more drinks later!"

Charlotte and I headed onto the dance floor and right away, I could feel everyone's eyes on us. There was a group of college-aged guys in particular that wouldn't stop looking in our direction.

At that moment, my favorite song came on and I began dancing to the music, letting my hips move freely as I felt hot, sweaty bodies all around me.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the guys from earlier approach us. Even though it was dark, I could tell that they were all extremely attractive, especially the tall blonde one.

"Hey, wanna dance?"

_Of course Mr. Blondie would be the one to ask me. Could this day possibly get any better?_

"Sure," I replied with a smile.

As we danced, he and I also had a steady conversation. Apparently, his name was Dustin and he had just finished his fifth year of engineering at UCLA. He played football, too.

"So, what do you say we heat things up a bit?", he spoke huskily into my ear as I felt both of his hands on my hips.

I immediately thought of Derek and although he and I weren't exactly close, he was still my husband. And cheating on him by grinding with some hot college dude was definitely against my morals.

"Dustin, I can't," I declined, removing his hands from my waist before turning around to look up at him.

"Why not, babe?"

"I'm married," I stated, showing him the diamond ring on my finger.

"Whoa, what?! You look like twenty, though. Isn't that a bit young to get married?", he asked with a stunned expression.

"Twenty-two. And yeah, I know. But it happens, right?"

"Um...I guess? Hey, how about we go get something to drink then?", Dustin offered.

"Ok," I replied with a smile. He smiled back, revealing his perfectly straight teeth. Man, this guy was a killer.

We weaved around a bunch of people then headed to the bar. I ordered a Margarita and Dustin had some vodka.

I realized that I hadn't seen Charlotte for a while, but then immediately located her on the other side of the counter. She gave me a wave before resuming her conversation with one of the other college guys.

"So, who's the lucky dude that gets to be your husband?", Dustin asked with a cheeky grin. I couldn't help but blush.

"His name is Derek Weston. You probably don't know him."

"You're married to  _that_  guy?! Isn't he the owner of some giant hotel company?", he exclaimed in disbelief.

"Yeah. So you  _do_  know him."

"Hell, everyone in this state does. My ex used to have this insane crush on him, too. Wow, so you're, like, famous almost."

"Not really," I said with a modest smile.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Surprise me."

"Is he as good in bed as all the girls say? I heard he used to sleep with a different model every night."

Dustin had just taken the word, 'surprise', to a whole new level.

"Um, can we change the topic?", I asked, feeling extremely uncomfortable.

 _So Derek_ ** _was_**   _a playboy. I knew it..._

"Sorry, I couldn't help it. I was just really curious. So, did you watch the draft yesterday?", he asked nonchalantly with a grin.

_Much better._

The hours flew by and before I knew it, the time had become one in the morning. To be honest, I liked talking to Dustin a lot. He and I had a lot in common, especially when it came to sports. He was also a huge hockey fan, too.

"Well, I should probably go find my friend now. It was really nice getting to know you," I told him.

"I had a great time, too. I'll see you around, Claire."

Once Dustin left, I began my search for Charlotte. When I couldn't find her at the bar, I went back on to the dance floor. And just like I had suspected, there she was, grinding with a bunch of guys.

_Oh lord._

"Char!", I called, making my way over to her.

"Oh, hey Claire!", she slurred.

"We need to go home," I stated with disapproval, dragging her away from everyone.

"But I was dancing!", she protested with a whine.

"You're drunk! And don't forget, you have Elliot," I reminded her in a serious tone. At the mention of her boyfriend's name, Charlotte immediately got herself together.

"Oh shit! Promise me you won't tell him about tonight? You know how much I love him. Please, Claire," she begged.

"I won't. Now give me your keys, I'll drive. 'Cause you can't, obviously."

We took the long way back to my house so that Charlotte could have some time to sober up. By the time we reached my neighborhood, it was past two.

"You sure you can drive?", I asked her once we were parked in my driveway.

"Positive. Besides, I only live, like, ten minutes away from you."

I looked towards the giant house and noticed that one of the lights was still on inside. Was Derek awake? Hopefully not.

Charlotte gave me a hug and I watched as she drove off before making my way up the steps to the porch. I was still digging for the house keys in my purse when the front door suddenly swung open, scaring the living daylights out of me.

Derek stood there, still in his suit from work, and he did  _not_  look happy.

 


	4. Jerk Times Two

 

"Where the hell have you been?", Derek demanded with his arms crossed as he glared up and down at me.

"Out," I replied in a cold tone, pushing myself past him when he suddenly grabbed my arm.

"Answer me!", he ordered, raising his voice.

"Don't touch me!", I snapped, yanking my arm free of his grasp.

I threw my purse on the coffee table then collapsed onto the couch, avoiding Derek's eyes, which were boring into the back of my head.

"Why didn't you call?", he asked in a calmer tone. I immediately turned around to face him.

"Since when did you care about my whereabouts?"

Derek let out a frustrated sigh, running his hands through his hair before placing them on his hips. He looked extremely tired, but I couldn't care less.

"You know, if something were to have happened to you, the first person your mother would blame is me."

"Oh my god, I am not a child!", I yelled, standing up so that I was right in front of him. And to this day, I still felt short compared to my husband, even in heels.

"Do you have any idea what time it is?! It's fucking two in the morning and you just got back! I've been sitting here for two whole hours waiting for you to come home!", he lashed out.

"Well then why didn't you call me?!", I retorted.

"You left your stupid phone at home," he said through gritted teeth, clenching his jaw.

_Whoops._

"So what?! I never have a clue what time  _you_  come home everyday, and when it's my turn to leave the house, you act like this," I pointed out, my blood boiling.

"You could've at least made me dinner."

_That tore it._

I began taking my heels off in an angry manner then threw them both at his chest, leaving him absolutely speechless as he stood there with his mouth hanging wide open. I had never been this furious before my entire life.

"I am not your damn servant! Haven't you ever heard of take-out?!"

I grabbed my purse and stormed past Derek, heading upstairs. He immediately followed me and I groaned, rolling my eyes in pure annoyance and rage.

"You know, you kind of look like a hooker right now," he remarked.

My body instantly froze which caused him to collide into me. I swore, it was like he was waiting for me to just kill him or something. I spun around and my eyes shot daggers at him as I opened my mouth to speak.

"Excuse me?! At least I don't go around sticking my dick into every single freaking girl on this planet!"

_That's right. Give him a taste of his own medicine._

I quickly ran up the rest of the stairs and stomped to my room, mentally plotting ways to rid him of this earth.

"What the fuck are you talking about?!", Derek's voice boomed as he caught up to me.

I slammed the door in his face and locked it, not wanting to hear a single word my sorry excuse for a husband had to say.

"Claire Weston, you open this fucking door right now!", he demanded.

"Leave me alone!", I screamed, on the verge of breaking down.

 _Don't cry, he's not worth it. Who cares about anything that man says,_ my inner conscience told me.

I got into bed and covered my ears with a pillow, wishing that Derek would just disappear. But no, he was refusing to leave.

_What was he gonna do? Break down the door?_

And just like that, I heard the sound of rushing footsteps and then a loud boom. I shrieked as my door bust open before it came off its hinges and collapsed to the ground.

Derek stormed towards me with both of his sleeves rolled up, revealing the prominent veins on his forearms. A thin layer of sweat glistened on his forehead. How on earth did he freaking break down my door?! I never knew he was  _that_  strong!

Talk about intimidating.

"Get away from me!", I warned, scooting closer to the headboard.

"What, you think I'm gonna hit you or something?", he sneered, his lips curled into a smirk.

"Don't look at me like that! I swear, if you come near me, I will punch you."

I yelped as Derek snatched my pillow from my hand and threw it to the ground. I felt the bed dip as he sat down across from me, staring into my eyes. I couldn't even tell what his current mood was right now.

"You honestly think that I'm a manwhore?", he asked in an amused tone.

What the hell was wrong with this man? Was it even possible for him to be this bipolar? One minute he was breaking down doors and the next, he was trying to have a conversation with me.

"I don't know, and I don't care," I replied grumpily, rubbing my eyes. God, I was so tired right now.

"Well, I'm not."

"Good for you," I muttered.

"And earlier- when I said that you looked like a hooker- well, I just wasn't used to seeing you dress like that."

"And your point is?"

"Don't wear that ever again," he spoke in a stern tone.

_Why, you son of a bitch...who do you think you are? My dad?_

"You can't make me. I'll wear whatever I want, when I want. Now can you please leave? I'm so sleepy," I whined.

"Fine. I'll get someone to fix your door tomorrow, too," Derek said as he got up, giving me a perfect view of his butt. Even in dress pants, it looked good.

_Shut up, Claire._

"You better."

His footsteps froze at where my door used to be, and then he turned around to look at me with a devilish grin on his face. Oh no, that wasn't good...

"Oh, and about those heels that you threw at me? You're not getting them back anytime soon," he said.

_I fucking hate you, Derek Weston._

"You bastard!", I yelled, throwing a pillow at him. He easily caught it with one hand then tossed it back to me, only it landed on my face.

In a perfect world, the pillow would've knocked Derek off his feet.

***

A ray of sunshine peeked through my window the next morning, accompanied by the cool ocean breeze. It was no doubt the most beautiful day so far this past week.

I yawned and stretched my limbs, looking over at the alarm clock. It was already ten. Last night, I had instantly dozed off once Derek left my room, with my dress and makeup still on.

As I made my way to the bathroom to take a shower, that's when I realized how much my feet hurt. How on earth could Charlotte even wear heels every single day?

At that moment, I remembered what Derek had said yesterday about my heels. He'd better give them back to me or I was gonna make him regret ever taking them.

I stood in the shower for what felt like an eternity before finally getting out, wrapping a towel around my body. While I was brushing my teeth, I looked up at the mirror and screamed when I saw Derek's face staring back at me.

"Oh my god, what are you doing in here?! Get out!", I yelled, my voice muffled from the toothpaste.

"Your bedroom door was opened, remember?", he said with a smirk, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.

Apparently, Derek had just taken a shower, too, because his hair was still damp. He had a pair of black athletic shorts on and a gray tshirt. It was weird seeing him on the weekends because he dressed like any normal 24-year old guy would. I guessed I was always used to seeing him in suits.

"What do you want?", I demanded with an irritated expression.

"I was just wondering if you were gonna make breakfast. 'Cause if you aren't, then I'll go buy something."

"I am. Now leave so I can change."

"K. See you downstairs," he said, strolling out of the bathroom.

I went to my closet and picked out a pair of black Nike shorts and my red hockey tshirt from high school. I was surprised it still managed to fit me after all these years.

Once I finished changing, I headed downstairs to the kitchen where Derek was sitting at the table doing work on his laptop. I swore, that MacBook was like his supply of oxygen or something. I'd never seen him without it before.

"Is French toast fine?", I asked him.

"Sure, whatever," he replied dismissively. I rolled my eyes.

I began taking out the ingredients and set them on the countertop. I also decided to make omelets and some bacon since I was feeling pretty hungry. Derek probably was, too, since he didn't have dinner last night.

"So, what did you do yesterday?", he asked me, shutting his laptop. He leaned back on the chair, propping his hands behind his head.

"I hung out with Charlotte," I answered as I stirred the omelet batter.

"She came back already?"

"Yeah. We had breakfast then went shopping."

"And clubbing," Derek added plainly.

"That too. Hey, can you do me a favor?"

"What is it?"

"Put some bacon into the pan and make sure it doesn't burn. You know how to do that, right?", I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm not stupid," he said, getting up.

Twenty minutes later, we were both sitting down at the table eating our breakfast. Derek had actually been able to cook the bacon nicely, which surprised me. He usually never did anything in the kitchen.

"So...did you hook up with anyone at the club last night?", Derek asked casually.

"No!", I exclaimed.

"You at least danced with some guy though, right?"

"Yes, but that was all we did.  _Danced_. Now will you please stop talking so I can eat?"

"This French toast tastes weird. What did you put in it?", he suddenly asked, making a face.

"You said it tasted delicious, like, three minutes ago!"

"I was lying," he stated in a cold tone.

"You jerk," I said bitterly, grabbing my plate and heading to the living room to eat. He remained in the kitchen.

A thought suddenly dawned on me as I angrily bit off a piece of bacon. Derek had been in a good mood this morning and said that he liked my French toast. But right after I told him that I had danced with a guy last night, he immediately became distant and sour, complaining that the French toast was bad.

_Was it possible that Derek had been jealous? Or was he just acting like the complete jerk he always was?_

_Well, whatever reason it might be, one thing was for sure- I still hated his guts._

 


	5. Moments Like This

 

It was the Fourth of July and Derek had a barbecue set up in the backyard, grilling burgers and hot dogs. We both had invited a few of our closest friends over to celebrate, and then we'd all go see the fireworks at Harbor Island later tonight.

Ever since Derek and I had gotten into that huge argument over me going out, he didn't care what I did anymore or when I'd get home. It was the least he could do given his already rotten attitude.

The sun was glaring down on me as I sat by the pool, reading my favorite book. It was nearly ninety degrees today, but at least there was a slight breeze.

I looked up when I heard the sound of clacking heels rushing towards me, followed by a squeal.

_Charlotte._

"Claire, I haven't seen you in ages!", she exclaimed, throwing her arms around me. She looked absolutely gorgeous in her dark blue sundress, which also complemented her eyes.

"We just saw each other last week," I reminded her with a laugh.

"I know, but it felt so long ago," she said, pouting her lips.

"Hey, Claire," Elliot greeted me with a warm smile. He was tall and well-built, with dirty blonde hair and light brown eyes.

"Hi, Elliot. How have you been?", I asked.

"Great. Now, where should I set this watermelon? By the way, you've got a sick house. This backyard is incredible," he commented. I didn't even notice the giant watermelon in his hands until he'd mentioned it.

"You can leave it on the table. And thanks. I still think it's way too big for just two people, though."

"That's why you have kids," Elliot said with a wink before heading over to where Derek was.

_Hell no._

A half hour later, everyone else showed up. We were all outside in the sun, eating and talking. It was nice getting to reunite with my old girlfriends from college.

I'd glance over at Derek every once in a while to see what he was doing. Around his friends, he acted like a normal human being, laughing and cracking jokes. It was just me he treated like trash.

For dessert, I brought out the giant chocolate cake that I had baked. There was red, white, and blue frosting on it to go with the Fourth of July theme, too.

"Oh my god, this tastes like heaven. Way to go, Claire," Stephen, one of Derek's friends, complimented.

"Thanks," I said with a smile.

"You're a lucky guy, Derek," he added, giving his friend a playful punch on the shoulder.

I looked towards my husband to see what his reaction was. His eyes came in direct contact with mine and just as I thought he was about to frown or something, a smile formed on his lips.

"I know," Derek said, taking a sip of his beer as he continued to stare at me.

I blinked twice to make sure my eyes weren't deceiving me. He was actually  _smiling._ What was this madness?

"Hey, Derek, can we swim now?", his other friend, Landon, blurted. 

"Huh? Oh yeah, go ahead," he spoke in a distracted tone. 

All the guys immediately took off their shirts and jumped into the pool along with my friends, Hannah and Stacy, who both had bikinis on.

"Are you coming in?", Charlotte asked me, standing at the edge of the pool with my other friend, Lexi.

"In a little bit."

"Ok," she said before doing a perfect dive into the water.

I walked over to Derek, who was busy bringing the leftover food back into the house. I grabbed a slice of watermelon then followed him to the kitchen.

"Do you need any help?", I asked.

He turned around at the sound of my voice and that's when I noticed how tan he'd gotten from being out in the sun. It was a  _very_ nice color on him.

"No, I got it. You can go swimming with your friends. I'll be out there in a minute after I clean up," he replied. He was about to head outside again when I stopped him.

"Derek, can I ask you something?"

"Sure," he said, leaning against the counter. I hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"When Stephen said that you were a lucky guy, were-,"

"Let me guess, you wanna know if I was being honest when I agreed with him?", he interrupted, raising an eyebrow.

"Um...," I trailed off, pretending to look at my nails.

"Of course I'm a lucky guy. I've got an incredible job and house...,"

_Why was I not surprised that I hadn't been on the list?_

"...and a wife that cooks amazing meals," he finished with a grin, rubbing my shoulder.

_Ok, I was definitely not expecting that._

"Um...,"

"I gotta go clean up now. Tell the guys I'll be out soon."

Derek headed outside and I was left in the kitchen at a complete loss for words. Could it be possible that he'd finally changed his attitude towards me? Was he actually nice now?

 _Don't get your hopes up too soon. He's probably just in a good mood right now because he gets to be with his friends_ , a voice in my head spoke.

I sighed. It was true. Tomorrow, my husband would go back to being his usual hostile self, and I'd be left alone to contemplate my dull, suckish life. It's unfortunate, but that was the way things were always going to be between Derek and I.

I returned to the backyard and took off my dress, leaving me in my Tiffany blue bikini. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Stephen flirting with Hannah, and I couldn't help but smile. They'd make a great couple, especially since the two of them had a lot in common.

"There you are! Come on in!", Charlotte called.

I jumped into the pool and swam over to where my friends were. They all had their eyes glued to something, and I looked to see what was stealing their attention. Or rather who...

_Derek. Of course._

"Your husband is so hot," Stacy gushed, practically drooling.

"I know right? Would you look at those biceps? He's even sexier on the outside than in those magazines," Lexi said. I suddenly heard Charlotte coughing.

"Um, you girls do remember that's  _Claire_ 's husband, right? So quit being all thirsty!", she scolded.

"It's alright, I don't mind," I assured with a laugh.

At that moment, Derek swam over to us and asked if we wanted to play water polo against him and his friends. I didn't know about the girls, but I was up for it.

"Yes!", Lexi and Stacy both replied eagerly.

My cheeks instantly grew red as I felt Derek's eyes on my body, probably checking me out or something.

_Ugh, men._

"Losing team has to take off their swimsuits," he spoke huskily into my ear so that only I could hear. Horrified, my eyes bulged out of my head and I dunked him underwater, absolutely outraged.

"Why, you-!,"

"I was kidding," he said with a wink once he returned to the surface before swimming back to the guys.

***

That night, we were all walking along the shoreline path of Harbor Island as the sun was about to set. My favorite part about this place was how it gave us the perfect view of downtown San Diego.

The guys had won our game of water polo earlier and as a reward, us girls had to buy them ice cream. Even though we'd lost, Hannah had played extremely well since she used to be captain of her high school volleyball team.

I looked towards the marina where all of the small boats where docked. I'd always loved the view of sailboats on the water with the outline of the city in the background, which was why San Diego was the perfect city for me.

Marrying Derek was something I'd never be happy with for the rest of my life, but I would never regret getting to live in this beautiful city. After all, I  _was_ born here.

Once it reached nightfall, Derek headed back to his car along with Stephen to grab chairs and blankets for the fireworks. The rest of us went to find a nice place to sit that would give us the best view.

By then, a ton of other people had arrived, and some even brought their pets. It didn't surprise me since Harbor Island had always been the most popular place to watch the Fourth of July fireworks in San Diego.

"Do you want a chair or blanket?", Derek asked me when he got back.

"I don't care," I replied, adjusting the strap of my lace melon-colored sundress.

"We'll share a blanket then," he said, handing me my red Stanford one.

I spread it onto the grass and sat down, kicking my flip flops off as I straightened my legs. This was going to be a great night.

Derek plopped down next to me and took out his phone, typing away. No surprise there.

"What are you doing?", I asked him.

"Replying to an email," he answered.

"Of course."

"There, done. You ready to watch some fireworks?", he asked with a grin, putting his phone into the pocket of his shorts.

"Yup."

It was ten by the time the fireworks started. They lit up the night sky and city in the background as everyone sat back and watched, simply enjoying the beauty of all the colors and effects. Breathtaking would be the one word I could think of to best describe it.

"It's so beautiful," I remarked in awe, looking up at Derek. The light flashing from the fireworks illuminated his handsome face. He seemed so happy and content, just like how I was feeling right now.

"I know," he said, his blue eyes twinkling as they met mine. I swore, I could get lost in them.

I scooted closer to him and hugged my knees to my chest, resting my head on his shoulder. I felt his body tense up for a moment, but then it relaxed again.

"Do you mind?", I asked him.

"Not at all," he replied with a smile.

Derek's arm wrapped around me as we both stared up at the sky, watching the fireworks. I'd enjoy this moment I had with my husband while it lasted...because sadly, I knew that it wouldn't last very long.

 


	6. The Other Woman

 

"Ooh, you should totally do that color! It's so cute," I suggested to Charlotte as we were looking through different bottles of nail polish.

"The aqua one? You're right, it  _is_ cute. K, I'll do that for my manicure," she consented.

I was getting my nails done with Charlotte for the charity event that I'd attend tonight at the five-star US Grant Hotel downtown. Everyone was supposed to dress their best because it basically was a large gala dinner. There would also be live music from one of the local bands here in San Diego.

The money we raised tonight would go to benefit a children's hospital over in Africa. I had only gone to two other charity events before with Derek ever since we got married. The bake sale was probably my favorite one by far.

_Who didn't love sweets?_

Speaking of my husband, he was currently at his office right now even though it was a Saturday. He had to get a few things ready for the San Francisco business trip he'd go on tomorrow. His secretary, Ashley, would accompany him.

I'd heard Derek mention her in the past, but I never got to actually meet her before. She wasn't at the last two charity fundraisers because each time they took place, she'd be out of town. But tonight, I'd finally have the chance to see her in person. Derek had told me himself that she would be present.

I decided to get a French mani pedi since it'd look nice with the dress I was wearing tonight. I had also originally planned on doing my hair at home, but Charlotte insisted we go to a salon. She needed a haircut herself, too, so I thought, why not?

Two hours later, we were both walking out of  _Vanity Hair Salon_. My hairdresser had suggested I do a side bun with a braid running through the back. And let me tell you, I was absolutely in love with it.

"Oh my god, Claire, you look so pretty! Wait, let me take a picture real quick!", Charlotte exclaimed, digging in her purse for her phone.

"Of me? But we're in the middle of a parking lot," I said with a laugh.

"Who cares? And no, it'll just be your hair. But I can take one of you, too, if you want."

"Just the hair is fine."

"Ok. Turn around," she instructed before taking a picture of my bun.

"How does it look?", I asked her.

"Absolutely stunning. I'm so putting this on Instagram and Pinterest," she replied excitedly.

"K. Well, I have to go home and get ready now. See you next time," I said, giving Charlotte a hug.

"See ya. Oh, and by the way, make sure Derek doesn't faint when he sees you in that dress. 'Cause trust me, you'll look like an international model in it," she remarked with a mischievous gleam in her eyes. I playfully elbowed her in the ribs.

"I'm sure he's been with  _plenty_ of models before."

"But you're the prettiest out of them all."

Charlotte gave me a wink then headed towards her car, which was parked on the other side of the lot.

"Take pictures!", she called over her shoulder.

"I will!"

_Oh Charlotte..._

It was five by the time I got home. Derek pulled into the driveway just as I was getting out of my car. I greeted him with a nod then headed inside the house.

We'd been getting along quite well these past couple of weeks. There hadn't been any major disagreements, mainly because neither of us really talked to the other, and he spent most of his time at work. But at least we were both trying to make an effort.

Derek walked in a few moments later, carrying a bunch of files and papers in his hand. His brows were furrowed in frustration, and I knew something was wrong.

"Is everything ok?", I asked him cautiously, afraid that he'd start lashing out at me.

"I can't find the papers for the project that I was supposed to bring tomorrow," Derek replied with an exasperated sigh, running his fingers through his hair.

"Maybe your secretary might have them?", I suggested, thankful that he wasn't releasing his anger on me.

"I don't ever remember giving them to Ashley, though. I'll just call her right now and ask to make sure," he said, pulling out his phone.

Derek stood there scratching his chin as he waited for Ashley to reply. I was about to go upstairs and get dressed when he gently grabbed my arm.

"What?", I asked him.

"Your hair looks nice," he complimented with a smile before letting me go.

My face instantly brightened as I walked up to my room. That was the first time Derek had ever said anything nice about my appearance, and I couldn't help but feel all warm inside.

I went to my closet and took out the dress I'd be wearing tonight. Charlotte and I had been doing some online shopping one day a few months ago and came across it.

When I saw the pictures, I knew that I had to order it. But when I found out the price, I completely freaked. After all, it was designed by  _Jovani_ , one of the most famous name brands for dresses.

It took loads of persuasion from Charlotte until I finally was able to buy it. According to her, the dress had been a "once in a lifetime opportunity."

And to this day, I still haven't seen a more beautiful dress. I'd forever be thankful for Charlotte for talking me into getting it.

It was an elegant light pink color, reaching floor-length with a v-shaped neckline in the front and back. There was silver embroidery underneath the chest area, and the sleeves were thin and ruffled.

Once I finished putting the dress on, I stood next to my mirror, admiring how well it complimented my slim figure. The color looked nice on my tan skin, too. Charlotte was right. I  _did_ feel like a model.

After applying some light makeup, I put on a pair of dangling silver earrings for the finishing touch. I grabbed a matching clutch from my drawer before heading back downstairs.

I waited in the living room with my sparkly silver heels on, all set to go. Derek was probably still getting ready. I wondered if he was able to find the papers.

An hour passed and he still hadn't left his room. I was about to go tell him that we were going to be late when he finally came rushing downstairs as he was fixing his tie, dressed in a black suit with a white shirt underneath.

"Guess what, I found the-," Derek began before pausing mid sentence. He glanced up and down at me then just stood there, blinking his eyes.

"Papers?", I finished for him.

I couldn't help but take in my husband's appearance. He looked so handsome and manly in his suit, especially now since his beard had grown back, too.

"Yeah, they were in my room."

"That's good...,"

We were both silent when Derek finally spoke again. And let's just say that I was not at all prepared to hear the words that came out of his mouth.

"Has anyone ever told you how beautiful you were?"

"W-what type of question is that?", I sputtered, completely dumbstruck.

"Because  _I_ think you are," he said with a million-dollar smile, leaning in to tuck a loose strand of hair behind my ear before placing his hands in his pockets.

My body immediately responded to his slight touch as I felt my cheeks grow hot.

Derek James Weston just said that I was beautiful- the same guy that constantly got on my last nerves and barely ever paid any attention to me.

_Would wonders never cease?_

"Um, thank you...," I said. It came out sounding more like a question than statement.

"Shit, we're gonna be late!", he suddenly exclaimed, looking at his watch.

Derek grabbed my hand and dragged me with him as he ran to the garage, which was located on the other end of our house. I struggled to catch up since I was wearing high heels.

_Why couldn't he have bought a smaller home?_

"Ow, my feet!", I cried out in pain, already feeling a blister form.

Derek's footsteps halted, and I squealed when I suddenly felt him pick me up in his arms.

"There, is that better?", he asked with an amused expression.

I was speechless.

And just like that, Derek continued to run as he carried me bridal-style to the garage. As for me, let's just say I stopped complaining about my feet.

***

I took a bite of the mouthwatering lobster, savoring all of the different herbs and flavors that I could taste. Seafood had always been a favorite of mine and lucky for me, it was the main course on the menu tonight.

Derek and I were sitting at a table with two other couples whom were both older than us. In fact, we were probably the youngest people at this entire gala.

Most of the businessmen here were either in their thirties or forties, some even in their fifties. Then there was Derek, who was only twenty-four.

He was the perfect example of a high school graduate that went on to do great things without even having to go to college. I guessed it just proved that you didn't need a degree to become a multi-millionaire.

Although I didn't like Derek as a person, I had always admired him for his success and independence at such a young age. I mean, having your own ginormous house and four cars? That's just mind-blowing.

"Oh, Ashley's here," I heard Derek say as he got up to go get his secretary, who would also be sitting with us.

A few moments later, Ashley stood at our table. I turned around to greet her and immediately, my eyes widened at her appearance. I had expected Derek's secretary to be some wrinkly old lady, not a woman in her mid-twenties.

First of all, she looked like she'd be on the cover of  _Vogue_  magazine. Her long hair was a dirty-blonde color, and her eyes were a striking shade of amber. They were almost hypnotizing.

But what shocked me the most was her dress. It was a deep red color and tight.  _Very_  tight, making her butt look extremely noticeable.

There was a giant slit on the right side, revealing her long, tan leg. Her back was completely bare, and the front was dangerously low. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if her boobs came out of that dress.

_And Derek had called_ _**me** _ _a hooker._

But there was no denying that Ashley was a very beautiful woman. My husband  _definitely_  had to have slept with her before.

"Ashley, this is my wife, Claire. Claire, this is Ashley Lawrence, my secretary," Derek introduced us both.

"It's nice to meet you," I said with a smile.

"My pleasure. I love your dress by the way," Ashley complimented, also smiling, but it didn't quite reach her eyes.

"I'll leave you two ladies alone to talk for a moment, ok?", Derek spoke.

"Alright, Dare," Ashley replied, touching his arm.

_Was that her nickname for him? "Dare"?_

"Here, have some food," I offered, handing the plate of lobster to Ashley.

"Thanks. And sorry I was so late. The traffic was terrible," she explained, rolling her eyes.

"I bet."

As we ate, Ashley told me more about herself. She used to be on the high school dance team and went to college at UCSD.

However, the biggest thing I discovered was that she and Derek used to date back when they were teenagers. And from there, she went on and on about the two of them.

"We went to every single dance together. You should've seen him back then. He was a total lady-killer, and he still is now," Ashley said with a sigh.

At that moment, I had to use the bathroom, so I excused myself before heading out of the ballroom. I ran into Derek and he asked me how things were going with Ashley.

"Great," I replied half-heartedly.

_Even though all she's talked about is you, and I haven't been able to say a single word._

When I returned to the ballroom, the band was playing a slow song, and people were starting to dance in couples. Our table was empty, so I went looking for Derek.

I found him talking in the corner with Ashley and some other important businessmen, each of them with a glass of champagne in their hand. He beckoned for me to come over.

"Do you wanna dance?," he asked.

"Um, sure," I replied as he set his glass down.

Derek took my hand then led us onto the dance floor. I couldn't help but glance back to see what Ashley was doing. I didn't know if it was the dim lighting, but I swore I saw a frown cross her face as she stared at me...

The band was doing a cover of Seal's,  _Kiss From a Rose,_ as Derek and I swayed to the music, with his hands on my waist and my arms wrapped around his neck. This song had always been one of my favorites- an oldie but goodie. 

"Did you like the chocolate cake?", I asked him.

"Eh, it was ok. Yours is better," he replied with a playful grin.

"Oh my, I'm flattered," I said in a dramatic tone. Derek chuckled.

"That dress looks incredible on you by the way. You should wear it more often."

I smiled in response as we continued to dance. I suddenly remembered what Ashley had told me about how she and Derek used to be a couple. So out of curiosity, I decided to ask him about it.

"Ashley said that you two used to date in high school. How come you never mentioned anything about it?"

"Well, you and I don't really talk so...," he replied with a shrug.

_True._

Just as the band was about to perform a different song, Ashley walked over with a cheerful expression on her face. I wonder why she was so happy?

"Hey, Derek, you wanna dance?", she asked, flashing him a dazzling smile and forgetting that I was even there.

"Sure, why not?", he answered, returning her smile.

Derek removed his hands from my waist before Ashley pulled him with her to an empty spot a few meters away. The two of them began to dance, standing extremely close to each other so that their chests were practically touching.

I remained frozen, simply watching them. It wasn't until I felt the presence of someone behind me when I finally looked away. I turned around to see a man standing there, maybe in his early thirties.

"May I have the honor of dancing with this beautiful young lady?", he asked me, his voice as smooth as velvet.

"You may," I accepted with a smile, offering him my hand. He took it then led us to the middle of the dance floor.

"My name is Ryan by the way," he introduced. "And you're Claire Weston, right?"

"Yes I am."

As we danced, he talked about how nice the ballroom looked, but the whole time, my mind was elsewhere. I kept thinking about Derek and Ashley. I admit, I was a bit stunned when he went to go dance with her without even saying a single word to me.

At that moment, I glanced over at them. Ashley's head was resting on his chest as he held her close to him. They both looked so happy together.

I suddenly felt an ache in my chest and tried to dismiss it.

Derek's eyes began to roam the entire dance floor before finally landing on mine. Just as I was about to give him a smile, Ashley leaned in and kissed his cheek.

Right away, I could feel a tear threatening to escape, but I quickly wiped it off before he or Ryan could notice.

"I-I have to go," I mumbled, pushing Ryan away from me.

"Go where?", he asked with a stunned expression.

"The bathroom," I lied.

I quickly began making my way out of the ballroom, not giving Ryan a chance to speak. I felt awfully bad about it, but now was just not the time for explanations.

"Claire, wait!", I heard Derek's voice call.

I spun around and saw him running towards me, only to be stopped by several businessmen. They started conversing and then went to sit down at a table.

Realizing that Derek obviously wasn't going to be able to talk to me, I kept walking until I reached the outdoor hotel garden.

I went to sit down on a bench underneath the gazebo by the fountain and before I knew it, my eyes glistened with tears as I cried.

There was no denying that Derek and Ashley were meant to be together. Anyone that saw them could tell that they were attracted to each other.

Even though I was the one married to Derek, I would never truly be his. Ashley was. And I bet he still loved her to this day.

That was the worst part about arranged marriages- not getting to experience true love with your spouse.

I would never be able to love anyone the way I had loved Nick. And as for Derek, he'd never love anyone the way he had loved Ashley...including me.

We were just two different souls forced to live under the same roof. There was no love, nor would there ever be. And that's why I had begun to cry in the first place.

I stayed outside for over an hour, completely losing track of time when I suddenly heard the sound of approaching footsteps and quickly wiped my tear-stained face.

Derek appeared from behind the flower bushes with a look of relief on his face, but then it slowly turned into anger.

"There you are! Do you have any idea how long it took me to find you?!", he exclaimed in frustration.

"I needed some fresh air," I said, avoiding his eyes.

"Why didn't you tell me you were out here?"

"You were busy talking to those men," I stated plainly.

_And getting all close and cuddly with your ex-girlfriend._

"Well, I also tried calling you. But just like that other time, you never picked up," he spoke with an irritated expression.

I swore, I had never heard my phone ring. But to be certain, I grabbed it from my clutch and sure enough, there were four missed calls from Derek. It turned out that I had forgotten to switch my ringtone from 'silent' to 'normal.'

"My phone was on silent," I confessed, mentally slapping myself. He rolled his eyes.

"We should probably go home now. Everyone else is already leaving, too."

"Ok," I said, getting up.

We walked to his black Range Rover in silence and during the drive home, Derek said a few things about the food and how much money we had raised tonight. The whole time, I was zoning out.

"Claire, are you alright? You're awfully quiet right now," he remarked, turning down the radio.

"I'm just tired," I muttered, resting my head against the window.

But the truth was, no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't get the image of Derek and Ashley slow-dancing out of my head.

 


	7. Away From Home

 

**Derek's POV**

It was six in the morning and I was getting ready for my three-day business trip with Ashley up in San Francisco. We were supposed to meet each other at the airport in half an hour.

After I finished putting on my suit, I double-checked to make sure that I had all of the hotel project documents in my suitcase. If one paper was missing, then the whole trip would be pointless. That's how important they were.

Before heading downstairs, I walked over to my wife's room to see if she happened to be awake. I gently opened the door and just like I had expected, she was still fast asleep.

Her arm was dangling off the mattress and I couldn't help but smile to myself. Claire looked so cute and innocent when she slept, almost like a child.

In fact, she  _was_ one at heart. Just last week, we were driving back home from a baby shower for my friend Landon's wife, and we saw this one lady walking her dog in our neighborhood.

And you know what my wife did? She made me turn the car back around just so she could catch another glimpse of it. Apparently, it had been the "most adorable little puppy wuppy" she'd ever seen. I mean, what on earth was a 'wuppy'?

Then Claire went on and on about how she'd always wanted a dog but couldn't buy one because her mother had been allergic.

I kind of felt sorry for her. I mean, what was a childhood without having a dog? I used to own a golden retriever myself named, Hank, growing up and I loved him to pieces, especially since I had no siblings.

Apart from her love of dogs, I also discovered that Claire liked to engage in food fights. She'd told me that a few days ago, her friends- Lexi and Charlotte- had come over and they'd all decided to bake cupcakes. 

But instead, the three of them ended up chucking the batter at each other. And as for the frosting, they had also used it for their little "war", too.

I had come home from work that night to find Claire passed out on the couch, with pink frosting all over her shirt. It was a sight I'd never forget.

I shut her bedroom door then went downstairs, carrying my suitcase with me. Since I was running a bit late, I decided to just grab a quick coffee at Starbucks on my way to the airport.

A half hour later, I was walking out of the long-term parking lot where I had left my car. On Tuesday, I'd just drive it home instead of having to take the taxi.

I met up with Ashley at the check-in counter and soon, we were on the plane to San Francisco. The flight itself would only take about an hour.

"I had so much fun last night," Ashley remarked as I was on my phone scrolling through emails.

"I did, too."

"Oh, and I gotta tell you something. When I saw your wife, I definitely did not expect her to look like that."

"What do you mean?", I asked, not quite understanding what she was trying to say.

"She's very pretty," Ashley stated.

"I know."

"But I'm prettier," she said flirtatiously, pointing a finger at my chest.

I chuckled then Ashley let out a yawn as she rested her head on my shoulder. Her eyelids slowly closed, and I guessed that she was probably trying to get some sleep.

My mind wandered to last night, and the first thing that popped into my head was how breathtaking Claire had looked in her evening dress. The word, 'beautiful', simply didn't do her justice.

I had only met my wife once before our wedding back in January. We were all having dinner at a restaurant here in San Diego. My parents were there and her mother and brother had come, too.

When I first laid eyes on Claire Delaney, it was her physical appearance that had blown me away. All she had on that night was a simple blue dress, without an ounce of makeup on her face. But, man, did she look stunning.

Claire had flawless tan skin, and her pink lips were full and plump. Her body shape resembled a model's, with long legs and luscious curves in all the right places.

At the time, her dark brown hair was much longer, and she had it up in a ponytail. She walked with such poise and grace, I assumed that she had to have been a dancer or something like that.

Her eyes without a doubt had to be her best feature, though. They were a lovely shade of brown and sparkled whenever she smiled. I could stare at them all day without ever getting tired.

I'd seen many beautiful women before in my life, but Claire was just...wow.

Recently, I had asked her if she used to take dance lessons, just to see if my theory from back in January was correct. And let's just say that I was completely mind-blown when Claire told me that she had actually been a hockey player.

The truth was, I felt bad about not paying much attention to her at the gala last night. I mostly had been busy talking to several CEOs about merging companies and other business matters.

Then there was Ashley, who'd kept clinging on to me. I still couldn't believe that she'd kissed me right in front of my wife while we were dancing. I mean, we were close friends, but did she not remember that she  _wasn't_  my girlfriend anymore?

I really hoped Claire hadn't been upset about it or anything. Based on what I saw, she seemed perfectly normal. I was going to go talk to her after that, but then I got caught in a conversation with some other businessmen, and she had already left the ballroom to go get some fresh air.

Overall, the night hadn't gone exactly as I'd planned. My goal originally was to stay by Claire's side as much as I could, but that obviously didn't happen.

Sometimes, I wished that I could be home more to spend time with my wife because the truth was, I barely knew her.

It'd be a miracle for me to not have to work past eleven every night ever since my company started on that new hotel project. I tended to get extremely tired by the time I got home, so even the littlest things provoked me.

I often let out all the stress from work on my wife, and I felt really bad about it. So, I thought the best way to solve that problem would be to just not say anything to her.

But whenever I  _did_ try to have a conversation with Claire, I'd never know what to talk about. And she wasn't exactly that friendly either, which made it even harder.

Man, this marriage was a lot tougher than I'd thought it would be.   
***

Ashley and I had just finished our first conference meeting of the trip downtown. We all had been discussing plans to build a new hotel, close to the Golden Gate Park. The actual construction of it wouldn't start until next year, though.

So far, all we had was a blueprint of the exterior.  _Gensler_ , a global architecture and design firm headquartered here in San Francisco, had teamed up with us to help generate ideas for the interior.

When we got back to our hotel, I changed out of my suit then headed down to the gym. I hadn't been able to work out in weeks ever since that new project came up.

An hour later, my body was drenched in sweat. I wiped it off with a towel then headed outside for a bit to get some air.

For the second time that day, I thought of my wife. I couldn't help but wonder what she was doing at home right now. I knew that she went for a jog every morning to stay in shape, but what else did she do during the day?

I had to admit, I kind of missed her.

As I walked back inside to the gym, I heard the sound of loud, clacking heels against the pavement and ran into Ashley around the corner.

"Oh hey, I was looking for you," she said with a smile.

"What's up, Ash?", I asked her.

"I was wondering if you wanted to go out for dinner tonight. There's this really nice restaurant one of the architects was telling me about during the meeting."

"Sure, let me take a quick shower first."

"Sounds good."

Her eyes began to rake up and down my bare torso, and then she reached out to give my bicep a firm squeeze.

"What are you doing?", I asked her with a laugh. She leaned in close to my ear so that her breath fanned my neck before opening her mouth to speak in a low, seductive tone.

"Is your wife as good in bed as I was?"

My body immediately stiffened. I didn't reply. I wasn't going to tell Ashley that Claire and I didn't even sleep in the same room, let alone have sex. But still, why the hell would she even ask a question like that?

"Ashley, you and I both know that we stopped dating years ago. So you seriously need to stop acting like this," I said in a stern voice.

"I was just joking. Geez, calm down."

"Were you?", I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yup," she replied with a smile before walking away.

God, Ashley could be so unpredictable sometimes. I knew that she still liked me a lot, more than just a friend. But she tended to forget that I had a wife now. And trust me, I didn't plan on ever leaving Claire for my ex, even if our relationship kind of sucked- both verbally and physically.

The truth was, I couldn't remember the last time I had gotten laid. Before I got married, I used to sleep around with a bunch of these insanely hot models, and I actually dated a few of them.

And then, there were the women that wanted to be with me just because I was rich. I hated those ones especially.

So basically, I hadn't slept with anyone ever since Claire came into my life, which was almost eight months ago.

And let's be real here. It sucked...a lot.

***

As I was getting ready for bed that night, I decided to give my wife a call to check up on her. Ashley was in the room directly across from mine. We'd gotten back from dinner about an hour ago.

"Hello?", I heard Claire answer.

"Wow, you actually picked up your phone this time," I teased her.

"Yeah, I know. Why are you calling?", she asked.

"Just to say hi. Have you eaten yet?"

"No. I wasn't hungry. Is Ashley with you?"

"No, she's in the room across from mine. Why?", I asked her out of curiosity.

"No reason. So, how'd your meeting go?"

"Fine. Well, I guess I'll let you go to bed now."

"Ok. Bye, Derek," she said, yawning afterwards.

"Bye, Claire."

I hung up my phone then set it on the nightstand. My hands were folded behind my head and I just lay there, staring up at the ceiling.

Tomorrow, Ashley and I had to attend another meeting, and then we'd spend the rest of the day sightseeing.

I bet Claire was really familiar with this city because she used to go to college at Stanford, which was only about a half hour away from here.

San Francisco had to be one of my favorite cities in the world. I'd only been here once before, and that was for my aunt's wedding a few years ago.

The scenery was absolutely breathtaking, and their man-made bridges never failed to amaze me. I still got chills whenever I saw the Golden Gate. The only con was that the skies were mostly cloudy everyday.

What I loved the most about my career was having the opportunity to travel all around the world, and in first-class too, which made it even better. 

The only major continent that I hadn't been to yet was Australia, but I was planning on going next year. After all, my company was currently building a five-star hotel over there in Sydney.

I was supposed to have gone to the meeting there a couple of months ago, but unfortunately I had been sick. So I'd decided to send Ashley along with my Chief Operating Officer, Keith Harrington.

Justin Delaney, my wife's older brother, had been there, too, since his company would deal with half of the expenses. I'd met him once or twice ever since he became the new CEO of Delaney Corp. He was a really cool guy.

Although traveling was nice and all, there was no place on earth I'd rather be than at home in my beautiful house.

The truth was, even though I'd lived in it for over two years already, I never really had the chance to enjoy it because I was always at work. Only on the weekends was when I could actually sit back and relax by the pool or watch a movie.

It was then that I wished I was back home in sunny San Diego.

With Claire.

 


	8. Dinner at the Westons'

 

**Claire's POV**

I was busy in the kitchen preparing dinner for Derek and myself since he was supposed to be arriving home from the airport in a few minutes. As I waited for the garlic breadsticks to finish baking, I continued cutting up the peppers for the cajun pasta.

On Sunday night, Derek had called to check up on me while he was in San Francisco. It'd given me hope that things were actually getting better between us.

However, I still was upset about the whole deal with him and Ashley at that gala a couple nights ago. I didn't plan on bringing it up, though, unless he ever decided to talk about it. 

Just as the oven went off, signaling that the breadsticks were done, Derek strolled into the kitchen, wearing a dark gray suit.

"I smell food," he announced with a grin.

"Well, I  _am_  cooking dinner. How was your flight?", I asked as I continued to chop up the peppers.

"Come on, I don't even get a 'hello' or anything?", he said teasingly.

"Oops, I forgot.  _Hello._ "

His eyes lit up in amusement and he chuckled lightly.

"And to answer your question, my flight was nice. It sure feels good to be back home, though."

Derek took off his jacket then pulled out a stool at the counter, sitting down. He grabbed a banana and was about to begin peeling it when I stopped him.

"What are you doing?"

"Um, I'm about to eat this banana," he replied, giving me a weird look.

"But what about dinner?"

"I don't see anything on the table, and I'm dying of hunger right now."

"The breadsticks are in the oven. You can start with those. I'm just finishing up the pasta," I told him.

"Gotcha," he said, heading towards the oven.

I was chopping the last of the peppers when I suddenly felt a sneeze build up in my nose. The moment I did, my entire body jerked, causing the knife that was in  my right hand to cut my left index finger.

"Shit!", I exclaimed in pain as blood began trickling out.

"Who says 'shit' after sneezing?", Derek remarked, taking out the breadsticks.

I ignored him and quickly grabbed a towel to press against the cut, which was bleeding more and more by the second.

"Derek, can you get me the first aid kit?"

"Wait, what happened?", he asked urgently, setting the plate of breadsticks down and turning to look at me.

"I accidentally cut myself with the knife when I sneezed," I explained. His eyes widened with worry and he immediately rushed to my side.

"Shit, are you ok?"

"It just stings a lot," I replied, sitting down on a chair at the table.

Derek knelt down in front of me and slowly began to remove the towel, which was covered in blood. The bleeding, however, had stopped.

"Ouch, that's a pretty deep cut. Here, go rinse it off in the sink. I'll grab a bandage from the bathroom," he said, getting up.

I went to the sink and turned it on, leaving my finger under the running water to clean the cut before drying it off with a towel. Derek came back moments later and told me to sit on the chair. Once again, he had to kneel down because he was so tall.

"This will prevent any infection," he stated as he began to gently dab some antibacterial ointment on my cut with his clean finger.

"Ouch, that hurts!" I cried out, wincing in pain.

"Relax, Claire," he spoke in a soothing tone, touching my arm. "There, I think that's enough ointment."

"Do you have the bandage?"

"Yup, it's right here."

I watched as Derek cut off a strip of the long, white bandage, wrapping it around my finger so that it wasn't too tight, but not too loose either.

"Thank you," I said, smiling gratefully at him once he was done.

"No problem. You know what, I'll go chop the rest of those peppers for you. I don't want you by any knives from now until that cut completely heals," he advised, looking up at me with a serious expression on his face.

"But you haven't even ate yet," I reminded him.

"I'll be fine," he assured.

"Alright then."

"Wait, the peppers go in the pasta, right?", he asked, standing back up.

I nodded in response then sat there at the table as I watched Derek finish what I'd left off in the kitchen.

He'd acted like a true husband when I had injured my finger, taking care of the cut and making sure that it didn't get infected. I admit, his actions had tugged at my heartstrings a little.

I just hoped that Derek would be like this from now on.

***

It was a cloudy Friday afternoon. Tonight, Derek and I were having dinner with his parents, James and Heather, over in La Jolla. I hadn't seen them since the bake sale a couple months ago. I'd only spoken to his father that day because his mother had been busy with the other guests.

They'd just gotten back from a three-month vacation down in Florida. I remembered Derek telling me that they had a condo there right on the beach.

Talk about paradise.

I was vacuuming and cleaning up around the house while Derek was at work. You'd think that in a place as huge as this, it'd take me ages to tidy everything up.

But in reality, I just had to clean our two bedrooms, the kitchen, and living room. There really was no point in vacuuming the other seven bedrooms and home theater since neither of us ever went in them.

_That's right, this house ha_ _d_ **_nine_ ** _freaking bedrooms and_ **_six_ ** _bathrooms. See, I wasn't exaggerating when I'd told Elliot that it was way too big for just two people._

When I got to Derek's bedroom, which was also the largest one in this house, I headed to his bathroom first and cleaned up in there, using a bunch of disinfecting products. Like always, I left all of the windows opened because trust me, they smelled like shit.

_I mean, who in their right mind would enjoy the smell of bleach?_

Afterwards, I vacuumed Derek's bedroom floor and closet. Luckily, he was a very tidy guy, so I didn't have to do much.

As I was changing his bedsheets, I glanced over at his dresser, and my eyes landed on a framed picture that he'd set there. Out of curiosity, I walked over to see what it was.

A smile formed on my lips as I stared at the picture. It was of Derek and I that night at the gala in front of the hotel entrance. I had to say, we made a pretty good couple.

Then, I suddenly remembered Ashley, and just like that, my smile began to fade as I felt my heart sink. I seriously had to stop thinking about her, but how could I when she had kissed  _my_  husband?

Sooner or later, I'd have to talk to Derek because I couldn't stand not knowing the truth about his relationship with Ashley any longer.

That night, my husband was driving us to his parents' house. Just like their condo in Florida, this one was also located by the beach. I had a strapless aqua high-low dress on, and Derek wore a light gray button-up shirt with a pair of dark blue jeans.

"Well, here we are," he announced once we were in the driveway.

"What is it with you Westons' and your nice homes?", I remarked, looking at the huge, white two-story house in front of us.

The landscape was absolutely stunning, with various types of flowers planted in decorative stone pots and bushes trimmed to perfection.

"Well, my dad is a businessman too," Derek said, getting out of the car.

"Yeah, I know. He told me himself back in January."

I followed him to the front door where his parents were already waiting for us. He looked a lot like his father, who was extremely handsome for a man his age. They both shared the same deep blue eyes and face shape.

The only trait Derek had inherited from his mother was her hair color. Even though she was probably in her early fifties already, her face was still very attractive and youthful.

"Welcome, darling! Come on in!", his mother greeted me with a smile.

"How have you been, Heather?", I asked, giving her a hug. Derek was talking to his father.

"I've been doing just great," she replied, standing back to look at me. "Now, why on earth would you wear this dress?"

_Huh???_

"Um, what are you talking about?", I asked her slowly.

"Your dress...it makes you look big," she commented, shaking her head in disapproval before turning to greet her son. My mouth was hanging open in utter shock, and I just stood there.

 _I'm sure Heather hadn't meant to be offensive at all,_ I sarcastically thought to myself.

"How are you, Claire?", Derek's father asked me as we began to head inside.

"I'm fine, James. And you?"

"I'm fine as well. But extremely sunburnt," he added with a grin, pointing to his arm, which was very red and peeling off skin.

"That's Florida for you," I said, smiling.

Derek went and gave me a tour of the entire house, including the room that he used to sleep in when he had lived here. It was pretty much empty now, apart from a few NFL posters that hung on his wall.

Afterwards, we headed back downstairs to the formal dining room for dinner. Heather had prepared filet mignon, grilled salmon, garlic mashed potatoes, and an apple vinaigrette salad.

As we all ate, she and her husband talked about what they did in Florida. Then, Derek said a few things about his company's current hotel project and the meeting he'd gone to in San Francisco. I just sat there and listened.

"Did Ashley go with you?", his mother asked him, briefly glancing at me out of the corner of her eye.

"She did," he replied, taking a sip of his wine. Heather then directed her attention towards me.

"I assume you've already met Derek's secretary?", she inquired.

"Yes. Last Saturday in fact," I replied, grabbing my glass of water.

"I've always loved Ashley like the daughter I never had. And if it weren't for this whole business partnership deal, Derek probably would've married her. They were high school sweethearts, you know," she said, looking at her son and smiling.

"Yeah, Ashley told me that they used to date," I spoke quietly, feeling uneasy.

"She's far more beautiful than you and  _very_ intelligent, too. Derek would've been so lucky if he'd married her," Heather continued.

I nearly choked on my water and immediately, I could feel my blood begin to boil as I glanced over at my husband, who had an unreadable expression on his face. James, however, was looking at his wife like she'd just descended from Mars or something.

"Is that so?", I asked curtly, the anger building up inside of me, but it took every fiber of my being to appear calm and relaxed.

"Of course, darling!", Heather replied with certainty.

_How dare she call me "darling" when she was literally insulting me in front of my face!_

"I also heard that you had focused most of your high school years on playing hockey? Such unfortunate parenting.

"I don't know how your family raised you, but education was always a number one priority for my husband and I. Athletes may seem all talented and rich at first, but once they retire, they'll become nothing. I hear some go broke before they're even forty."

_What the hell was wrong with this woman???_ _  
_

Once Heather finished talking, everyone remained dead silent, including me. But the whole time, my eyes were shooting daggers at her.

Prior to tonight, never in my life had I ever been this humiliated and outraged. It felt as if someone had taken what was left of my dignity and stomped on it with their foot, in this case, that 'someone' being Derek's bitchy mother.

First of all, she basically had called me fat when I'd entered her home. And second, she had intentionally brought up Ashley while everyone was eating just so she could compare the two of us and make me feel like trash.

It was obvious Heather had wanted Ashley for a daughter-in-law and not me. Because based on her rude comments, I wasn't good enough for Derek.

Not only that, but she had also criticized my parents for the "unfortunate" way they'd raised me then went on to say a bunch of shit about athletes that weren't even close to true.

But the worst part was, my husband hadn't even bothered to say a single word while I was being insulted by his own mother.

 


	9. In the Storm

 

As Derek and I were getting in his car to drive back home, the rain had begun to pour heavily as thunder rumbled in the distance. I was the least bit surprised because it  _had_  been dark and cloudy all day.

Anyway, the weather was a perfect example to describe my current mood.

After we finished dinner, Derek had offered to help his mother with the dishes in the kitchen, leaving me alone with his father. I knew I was making myself look like a lazy daughter-in-law, but I'd wanted nothing to do with that woman.

James had apologized for the rude things that his wife had said to me, saying how she had a tendency to speak without thinking. But that didn't lessen my hatred for her.

When Derek and I'd left the house, I hadn't even bother to say anything to his mother. I honestly couldn't care less if she'd thought I was being rude.

As we were driving home, I waited for my husband to say something about the harsh words Heather had spoken to me, but he acted like I wasn't even in the car. His eyes remained glued to the road as he constantly changed the radio station.

Ten minutes passed, and that's when I finally decided that I wasn't going to put up with this nonsense any longer. I turned off the radio, and he gave me a weird look.

"What was that for?", Derek asked in an annoyed tone.

"I can't believe your mother said all of those rude things about my family and I, and you just sat there the whole time without saying a single word to defend me," I spoke with a hurt expression on my face.

"Well, most of what she said was true," he stated matter-of-factly, absently drumming his fingers on the steering wheel.

"No it isn't! Hockey was just an extracurricular activity for me. It was never my main focus in high school. My grades were," I explained, raising my voice.

"Good for you."

"And for your information, my parents raised my brother and I perfectly well. Even though they weren't always around much, they never stopped pushing us to work hard and to succeed at whatever it was we chose to do in life," I continued, feeling tears swell up in my eyes as I thought of my father.

"Well, you should've told her that yourself. I mean, how was  _I_ supposed to know how your parents raised you? My mother was right about Ashley, though. She  _is_ smart. She got her master's when she was only your age."

_Of course he defends his lover._

I could feel my temper begin to rise as I narrowed my eyes at Derek. Why was I even having this conversation with him? It was obvious that he still didn't give a damn about me.

"You know what? Forget it," I said coldly, about to look away from my husband when he began to speak.

"You know, you could've at least talked to my mom and acted friendlier. Otherwise, she'll get the impression that you're just another one of those money-loving women that I used to date, which you might be. I don't know. But as long as my business and your brother's are prosperous, then it's all good."

My eyes bulged out of my head as I processed what Derek had just said to me. I could feel my blood pressure rising to the point where I was afraid that I'd end up blocking an artery.

_So_ _**that's** _ _what he thought of me?! A desperate woman who wanted his damn money?!_

_Why, that son of a bitch! He was just like his mother!_

Derek had pushed me over the edge, and there was nothing left for me to do other than get the hell out of his car and away from him.

"Stop the car," I demanded through gritted teeth, balling my fists up.

"Why?", Derek asked with a clueless expression.

"Just do it!", I yelled.

He slammed on the brakes and then the Range Rover came to an earth-shattering halt. I grabbed my purse and quickly climbed out, leaving him absolutely speechless.

The moment I stepped onto the wet grass, I slammed the door as hard as I could then stormed away from the car.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?!", Derek's voice bellowed over the sound of the thunder.

"Home!", I shouted. I kept on walking as the rain poured down, drenching my entire body.

I heard the car door slam and turned around to see Derek running towards me with a furious expression on his face. His hair was soaking wet along with the shirt he wore- to the point where I could see his abs right through it.

"Are you out of your mind?! Get back in the car!", he exclaimed.

"I have no desire to talk to you. Now leave," I spoke in a bitter tone.

Derek threw his hands up in the air, completely dumbstruck as I walked away from him. My body was shivering and my teeth were chattering from how cold I was, but no way was I getting back in that car with him.

Moments later, I saw Derek speed past me, blinding my eyes with his headlights, and I was left to go home on foot. From here, it'd take another twenty minutes.

As I continued to walk in the storm, I thought about all the things Derek had said during the car ride. He truly  _was_  a selfish and ignorant man.

I mean seriously, how could he just call me a 'money-loving woman' and expect me to be ok with it?!

I'd thought he had finally changed his ways, but apparently I was wrong. Clearly, all he cared about was his business. I meant nothing to him.

The wind began to pick up, causing the palm trees to sway violently and my dress to fly all over the place. And with every clap of thunder that I heard, my heart would leap out of my chest. It was absolutely terrifying. I just longed to be in my bed, all safe and snuggled up under the covers.

I probably looked like some mental freak to all the people that drove past. This one teenaged guy even stopped his car and asked me if I was lost or needed a ride, but I told him that I was fine.

_Even though "fine" was clearly the last word to describe how I felt right now._

Halfway through, my feet started to ache, and I stumbled over a hard object, nearly losing my balance. I cursed out loud, blaming the street for being so dark, then decided to just take both my heels off and walk barefoot as I held them in my hand.

I began to pity myself for having such a terrible husband, whom I was forced to spend the rest of my miserable life with. And finally, I let out all of the emotions I'd kept buried inside ever since we got to his parents' house.

I cried for my father and Nick who were both long gone, for my poor, lonely mother whom I missed so much and wished was here to comfort me, and lastly...for myself.

The moment I finally got home, I was a dreadful, soaking mess. My dress stuck to my skin and was practically see-through at most parts. Smeared makeup and tears stained my face, and the soles of my feet stung from the tiny bits of gravel I'd walked on.

I dragged myself up the stairs to my bedroom, leaving a trail of water behind me. I encountered Derek on the way, and his mouth hung wide open in shock when he saw me. But I just brushed past him without saying a single word.

After taking a long, hot shower, I went to bed, wishing tomorrow would never come so that I didn't have to look at my husband's face.

 


	10. Breaking Point

 

I kept waking up in the middle of the night to blow my nose, which was all of a sudden running like crazy. And when I tried to fall back asleep, I started having these massive coughing attacks. There could only be one explanation for this.

I had caught a cold from being out in the rain.

It wasn't until three in the morning when I was finally able to go to sleep. Heaps of used tissue lay on my nightstand, but I didn't have the energy to throw them away.

The alarm clock read noon as my eyes slowly fluttered open after a night of crappy sleep. I stretched my arms, immediately noticing how sore my muscles were.

I looked out my window and saw clear, blue skies, but even that didn't give me the motivation to get out of bed. I was so freaking tired, and my head was pounding. But the worst part was, my body temperature felt unusually low, and I had to wrap the blanket around myself.

_Damn it, a fever was the last thing I needed right now._

I groaned and just lay there, sneezing and coughing. When I was about to blow my nose for the hundredth time since yesterday night, I realized that the tissue box was completely empty.

_Great._

My body felt extremely off- balanced as I got out of bed. And damn, this headache was killing me. I grabbed a sweatshirt from my closet and put it on over my tank top since I was having chills, then headed to the bathroom.

Once I threw away my used tissues, I opened up the sink cabinet to grab a new box, but to my utter disappointment, there were none left.

_Could this day possibly get any worse?_

I decided to go find some in the kitchen because that was where I always left extras. On my way downstairs, I nearly slid and immediately, I grabbed onto the handrail.

_Whoa_ _, why were the stairs so slippery?_ _!_

I looked down at my feet and saw that there were small puddles of water everywhere, leading all the way to the front door.

For a moment, I wondered where they'd come from, but then I remembered that it was  _me_  that had been dripping water all over the place last night.

What I didn't understand was why Derek hadn't even bothered to clean it up yet. He'd probably been awake for hours already.

_God, was it even possible for him to be this lazy?_

I went to the kitchen and of course, he was there too, sitting at the table watching something on his laptop. As I grabbed some tissues from the cabinet, I began to have another cough attack. Right away, I went to pour a glass of water, downing it all in a matter of seconds.

"Why are you up so late?", I heard Derek ask me.

"I couldn't sleep last night," I replied with a hoarse voice.

"Why not?"

"I have a fever."

"Your fault for not getting in the car yesterday."

"Well, I didn't want you to have to sit next to a money-loving bitch," I spat. Derek hadn't actually said 'bitch', but I was just so pissed off right now.

"What on earth is that supposed to mean?"

"You obviously don't have a clue, do you?"

"Look, if it was something I said in the car last night, then I'm sorry. And by the way, you might want to clean up that water mess you made," he said, gesturing towards the hall.

"Why can't you?", I demanded, letting out a sneeze afterwards.

_Did he not see how sick I was? I swore, Derek Weston had a heart as cold as ice._

"Um, I'm kind of busy right now. Can't you tell?"

And with that, he directed his attention back to his laptop. I groaned in frustration and went to grab the mop as I mumbled a million curse words to Derek.

_I wondered if h_ _e treated his workers the way he treated me?_

_Probably not. Because if he did, I was pretty sure they'd kicked his ass out a_ ** _long_**   _time ago._

Fifteen minutes later, I was back in bed with a new box of tissues and several bottles of water on my nightstand. I'd taken Tylenol for my fever, and Derek had told me that I had to eat something or else I'd get liver damage.

But to be honest, my life just didn't matter to me anymore. As long as I was brought closer to my dad and Nick, I couldn't care less what was happening to my body. Anything that'd get me away from my husband, I would welcome with open arms.

At that moment, I realized that I was falling into a deep depression, and it was all because of this stupid marriage. I was at my most fragile state- one push and I would break into a million pieces.

The last time I had ever felt like this was when my father had passed away. I'd already found out about my arranged marriage to Derek, and that night, I had almost thought about taking my own life.

But then, I had grown furious at myself for even thinking that way. Several questions had popped into my head including, 'How could I be so selfish?' and 'Did I not remember that I had a mother and brother that loved me?'

And right now, those were the same questions that I was asking myself as I lay in bed sick. I had to be strong and take care of myself, because if something were to happen to me, the people I loved most would get hurt, and I didn't want that.

I fell asleep for a couple of hours and when I woke up, I noticed a bowl of soup sitting on my nightstand along with some Tylenol. Derek must've left them there.

The soup had gotten cold and was obviously condensed because he didn't know how to cook, but the fact that he had actually thought of me was what brightened my mood.

Or, it could've been his way of apologizing for the things he'd said last night. I had no idea, but all that mattered to me right now was how hungry I was.

***

The past week had been an absolute nightmare for me. First of all, Derek had invited a bunch of his friends over to watch the Dodgers' baseball game on Sunday night, and they'd gotten drunk, passing out on the couches and floor.

The following morning, Derek had ended up taking a day off from work because he'd had a major hangover from the previous night and lay in bed all afternoon. So guess who had to clean up the entire mess in the family room? Me, even though I was still terribly sick.

On Thursday, I had to go to the doctor's because my fever had been getting worse. They discovered that I had caught strep throat. So, I was given antibiotics and encouraged to get plenty of rest. Unfortunately, that didn't happen.  

Derek had come home at ten that night, and he told me to bake a giant chocolate mousse cake for the banquet at his workplace that was to be held the following day.

I had asked him why he couldn't just buy one because for god's sake, the last thing I needed to do was bake a cake at ten o'clock. But Derek had said that he'd wanted it to be homemade, and mine was especially good.

So while my husband went to bed, I had to stay in the kitchen and bake his damn cake. It was nearly midnight by the time I'd headed up to my room, and I couldn't remember the last time I had ever been that exhausted.

It was Saturday afternoon and I was in the living room, watching a movie on Netflix. Derek and I had gotten into a huge argument yesterday night over the cake I'd made.

He had complained that it was the worst shit he'd ever eaten. I mean, had he not been aware that I was still freaking  _sick_?! And when people were sick, it tended to interfere with their taste buds.

I had screamed at Derek for being a total asshole then told him to cook his own food from now on since mine tasted like 'shit'.

We hadn't spoken to each other after that, and I wasn't planning on talking to him anytime soon unless it was absolutely necessary.

Just as the movie was about to finish, the devil himself appeared in the living room with a cold expression on his face.

"There's a charity auction tomorrow morning downtown, so make sure you don't stay up too late tonight," he spoke in a distant tone.

"I'm not going," I stated bitterly, keeping my eyes glued to the TV.

"What do you mean you're 'not going'?", he demanded, crossing his arms in front of his chest. I turned to look at him before replying.

"I'm sick of having to act like we're a real couple at those charity events when at home, you treat me like shit."

"God, you're such a spoiled brat," Derek spat.

" _Excuse_ me?!", I retorted, feeling my temper gradually rise.

"All you have to do is sit your ass at home everyday. You don't have to worry about paying the bills or anything, and you get everything you want. But you can't even go to a  _charity_?"

After all of these long, torturous months, I had finally reached my breaking point.

"Do you  _think_  I wanted to stay home and be a housewife at the age of twenty-two?! Do you have any idea how hard I worked my butt off to get into Stanford?!"

Derek looked shocked at my sudden outburst and was about to say something, but I kept going. I  _needed_  to let out everything I'd wanted to tell him ever since we got married.

"If it wasn't for this damn marriage, I would still be in college studying to get my master's degree in business. I'd get my own job once I graduated and buy my own house, not live in this hell hole with a man who thinks I'm a 'money-lover' and doesn't give a fuck about me!"

"Claire, calm down...," Derek spoke in a careful tone. His words only infuriated me even more, and I stood up to face him.

"Shut up! And as for me being a 'spoiled brat', the day I'd turned sixteen, I got a job and paid for everything I bought, including my first car. I  _never_  let my parents pay for anything, even though they were rich.

"You don't know me, Derek Weston. You have no idea what I've been through and what it feels like to lose the people you love. And you never will, because everything just always has to be about you!", I finished, followed by an intense coughing fit.

By then, I was standing right in Derek's face as my eyes glared into his blue ones. He opened his mouth to speak, but I quickly left the living room, running upstairs to grab my things and put them in a suitcase.

I had put up with my husband long enough, and there was no way I could stand being in this house anymore.

I headed back downstairs once I'd finished packing to see Derek standing there with a bewildered expression on his face. He hurriedly followed me to the kitchen where my car keys were.

"What the fuck are you doing?!", he exclaimed.

"I'm leaving," I replied in a cold tone, quickly grabbing my keys and rushing towards the garage.

Derek beat me there and placed himself between the door and I, blocking my exit. His hands reached out to grab my arms, but I immediately slapped them off.

"Get out of the way!", I yelled.

"Not until you tell me why you're leaving!", he protested, his eyes penetrating through mine.

"I'm sick of pretending that things are ok between us when in reality, they'll never be," I said, on the verge of tears as I looked up at the man who had caused me so much pain.

"Claire, don't do this," he pleaded, sounding hurt.

"It's best if we don't see each other for a while. Good-bye, Derek."

And with that, my husband stepped away from the garage door, letting me go.

 


	11. A Familiar Face

 

**Derek's POV**

I stood frozen in my spot, watching as Claire angrily threw her suitcase into the car trunk before getting in the driver's seat. After igniting the engine, she quickly backed out of the driveway then turned at the corner of the street, disappearing from my sight.

But the worst part was, the whole time, I had seen tears streaming down her beautiful face. And it tore me apart knowing that I was the one responsible.

_What the fuck had I done?_

After all of these months, I finally figured out the reason behind Claire's distant behavior towards me ever since she moved in. This marriage of ours had shattered her dreams that she'd worked so hard to achieve.

What made me angry with myself was the fact that I had never even attempted to get to know who my wife truly was. Instead, I'd been so engrossed with my work and completely oblivious to the way I had treated her at home.

In all honesty, I  _did_  care about Claire. I just tended to not show it because most of the time, I acted like a total douche.

Just yesterday, she and I had gotten into a huge argument over her chocolate cake because my executive staff, including me, had thought it'd tasted horrible. But that wasn't the point.

The point was, Claire had been terribly sick and instead of taking care of her like a normal husband would, I'd ordered her to bake me a cake for work, not to mention that I had told her it tasted like shit the previous night.

I'd become outraged when she had called me an asshole during our fight, but now, I realized that she'd been right all along. I should've just  _bought_  a cake that night instead of putting my poor wife through all that trouble to bake me one.

As I headed upstairs to my room, the image of Claire storming away in the rain last Friday suddenly popped into my head. To this day, I still hated myself for just letting her go like that.

What if something terrible had happened to her? For god's sake, some crazy guy could've kidnapped her, or she could've been hit by a drunk driver. I'd never be able to live with myself if a situation like that had occurred.

I had planned on yelling at Claire for being such an idiot once she got home, but the moment I saw her at the top of the stairs, any trace of anger I had previously felt instantly vanished.

The sight of my wife soaked to the bone in water had just been too pitiful, and the last thing she'd needed was to have someone giving her a hard time. So, I had remained quiet. I was just relieved that she'd made it back home in one piece.

To be honest, I'd had no idea why she'd just left my car like that in the first place. I thought she'd been angry that I hadn't defended her in front of my parents.

It was then that I suddenly realized the reason for Claire's behavior that night. I had said that she was "just another money-loving woman".

That had to be it.

I also recalled her saying something about how she didn't want me to have to sit next to a 'money-loving bitch' when I'd scolded her for getting out of the car the following afternoon.

And just now when Claire was yelling at me, she had mentioned that she wasn't the 'money-loving woman' that I thought she was.

I couldn't even imagine how hurt she must've been when I'd said those words to her because clearly, my wife was anything  _but_  a money-lover. No wonder she had left the car and gotten herself sick.

I wished she had talked to me about everything sooner so that I would actually know how much she'd been enduring ever since we got married.

The truth was, Claire wasn't just any average woman. No, she was much more than that. She was strong-minded and independent.

All these months, she'd kept her own emotions and hatred for me buried deep inside, and yet, she still managed to go on with her daily life as if everything was perfectly fine.

But how could she possibly be fine when she had a husband that treated her like crap? And did I not mention that she had also lost her father?

I hated to admit it, but even though I was aware that Mark Delaney had passed away last December, not once had I ever bothered to talk to Claire about it to see if she was still grieving or offer her my condolences.

God, I felt like such a dick.

I'd wanted to get closer to my wife, not push her away. But I did, and the guilt was eating me alive.

Now Claire was gone, and I had no idea where to find her.

**Claire's** **POV**

At first, I had no clue where I was going. I just drove around and thought about what was in store for me now that I had finally left my husband. I felt relieved, but on the other hand, felt extremely lost at the same time.

_Where was I supposed to stay?_

Charlotte immediately came to mind, but then I decided against it since Derek would most likely assume that I'd be at her house. After all, she  _was_  my closest friend.

Whether or not he even knew where she lived, I had no idea. But I wasn't going to take the chance and have him find me.

There also was Lexi, Hannah, and Stacy. However, the three of them had gone on vacations and wouldn't be back until next week at the earliest.

At this point, it looked like a hotel was my best choice. Before checking into one, I decided to drive to Seaport Village because it was an absolutely gorgeous day, and I wanted to enjoy it. I'd been stuck at home sick for too long.

I found a parking spot for my car then walked towards the shops. Most of them sold souvenirs, but there were others that sold clothes, shoes, and candles.

My father used to take my brother and I to Seaport Village all the time back when we lived in San Diego. We'd watch the boats as they cruised in the harbor then eat ice cream at Ben and Jerry's.

The moment I strolled past San Pasqual Wine Tasting Room, I immediately thought of my dad. Sampling different kinds of wine was something he had always taken pleasure in. That's why we had a huge collection of liquor in our basement at home in Minnesota.

After buying a pair of flip flops and sunglasses at one of my favorite shops, I headed over to Sports Headquarters just to see if there was anything I could add to my small collection of San Diego sports team apparel.

As I was looking through the rack of baseball jerseys, I heard an awfully familiar voice say my name.

"Well, if it isn't Claire Weston in the flesh."

I immediately spun my head around to see none other than Dustin Coleman- whom I'd danced with at the nightclub back in June- standing there with a huge grin on his face.

"Dustin! Wow, I thought I'd never see you again!", I greeted, giving him a hug.

"Well, I  _did_  say 'see you around' that night, had I not?", he remarked with a wink.

"You did," I replied, nodding my head.

"So, what are you doing here all by yourself?"

"Um, it's kind of a long story," I said as my fingers played with the tag on a Padres jersey.

"Well listen, if you want, we can talk about it over some lunch. I'm currently on break right now," Dustin offered.

"You work here?"

"Yeah, during the summer."

"Cool. And yes, I'd love to have lunch. I'm absolutely starving."

He chuckled and then the both of us walked to Village Cafe. Running into Dustin had definitely lifted my spirits. He had this chill personality that made it easy for him to get along with anyone.

When we got there, I ordered a salad, and he ordered a chicken wrap for himself. He had a baseball cap on, and it made him look even hotter than he already was. I also noticed that his hair had gotten blonder, too, from being out in the sun.

"So, this story of yours. Where does it begin?", Dustin asked as he leaned forward in his chair, resting his elbows on the table as he laced his fingers together.

"Well, it started when my father passed away last Christmas."

"Wow...I'm so sorry. And on Christmas, too? Dang, that must've been terrible," he said with genuine sympathy.

"It was," I admitted.

As the both of us ate, I told Dustin everything- from when I was forced to drop out of college to marry Derek- to the events this morning that had led to me leaving his house.

The only detail I had left out was my relationship with Nick and his death because it was just too personal. Even Charlotte didn't know about him, and I told her  _everything._

I knew that I'd only met Dustin once before today, but there was just something about him that allowed me to spill all of my thoughts and emotions without feeling the least bit hesitant or uncomfortable.

I guessed it was because he was so willing to hear whatever I had to say. To me, he already felt like a friend I could trust.

"So, let me get this straight, you've been sitting at home all these months? Don't you ever get bored?", he asked.

"I usually have things to do around the house, but yes, it does get awfully boring."

"Why don't you get a job?", he suggested.

"Who will want to hire me? I have no college degree, remember?", I reminded him, thinking about how all of the hard work I'd put into college had gone to waste.

"But you attended freaking Stanford! And of course there will be companies that would want to hire you. I may not know you that well yet, but I  _do_ know that you're a very intelligent person."

"Thanks, Dustin," I said with a warm smile.

"I'm just telling the truth. Have you ever thought about going back to college?"

"I have. Many times, in fact. But I can't," I replied, sighing heavily.

"Why not?"

"Stanford is all the way up in Palo Alto which is, like, an eight-hour drive from here. And if I go, Derek won't have anyone to clean up the house or cook for him. It's my responsibility to do that as his wife since he already supports the both of us financially," I explained.

"Why can't he hire a maid or something? Based on what you've told me, the guy barely even treats you like his wife," Dustin commented, taking a huge gulp of water.

"I know...but believe it or not, Derek  _can_  be a really nice guy. It's just that most of the time, he isn't."

"Wait, how long do you guys have to stay married?", he asked.

"Until either his company or my brother's decides to end the partnership, which will probably be never seeing how much they depend on each other financially," I replied.

"Man, that sucks. Do you plan on going back, though? To Derek's house, I mean."

"Not for a while. I'm thinking about buying a plane ticket to Minnesota soon to spend some time with my mom and brother."

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. In the meantime, you can stay with me in my apartment," he said with a grin.

_Let's just say I was caught off guard for a moment._

"Um, that's really nice of you, Dustin, but I don't think it's necessary," I politely declined.

"Oh come on, it'll be fun! Besides, you sure could use some cheering up right now. I've got a spare bedroom you can sleep in," he insisted.

"Well...,"

"You can also watch me train for college football season coming up," he added, his lips curled into a smirk.

"Oh, alright," I finally consented with a laugh.

"Thatta girl," he teased, playfully punching my arm.

Dustin wasn't leaving for UCLA until another week, so for now, I guess it'd just be me and him in his apartment. Then soon, I'd be off to Minnesota.

 


	12. Without Her

 

**Derek's POV**

It's been three whole days, and Claire still hadn't returned. I'd attempted to call her several times, but she never picked up, which didn't surprise me.

But sooner or later, my wife would have to come back, right? I mean, a ton of her stuff was still here. In fact, I bet she'd be home by this weekend. Hopefully. And if that was the case, I'd welcome her with open arms and apologize for everything I'd done.

I was at work on Tuesday, busy sorting the documents that I'd be presenting at our meeting in less than an hour. However, the main thing occupying my thoughts was Claire. She'd constantly been on my mind ever since Saturday afternoon.

Yesterday, I was figuring out a budget plan for our future project, and I nearly messed up on the calculations. Luckily, Ashley had noticed my mistake and immediately pointed it out.

God, I really needed to start concentrating on my work, but how could I when my wife had been gone for days?

At that moment, I heard a knock on the door, snapping me out of my thoughts, and I looked up from my desk.

"Come in," I said, leaning back in my chair and letting out a massive yawn.

_Did I also mention that I hadn't gotten any sleep these past few nights?_

"Hey, Derek," Ashley greeted with a smile, stepping into the room.

"Have you scheduled the dates for the next couple of business meetings yet?", I asked her.

"Yup. LA is the one coming up," she answered, heading towards my desk.

I nodded my head and just sat there, staring out the window. My office had a view of other tall buildings and in the distance, you could see Coronado Bridge.

"Let me guess, you're thinking about your wife?", Ashley inquired, pulling out a chair to sit down next to me.

"Yup," I replied with a heavy sigh, propping my legs up on the desk.

"You've seriously got to stop stressing over her. She'll come back before you know it," she reassured.

"But what if she doesn't?", I mumbled dejectedly.

"Well, then it's her loss. I bet you're a wonderful husband, Derek. So many women out there would die to be with you. She's just being overdramatic," Ashley said, straightening out her tight skirt.

"Trust me, I'm not even  _close_  to being a 'wonderful' husband," I scoffed.

"But still, it's not your fault she left."

"Yes it is! You don't know how terrible I've treated her these past months!", I exclaimed, raising my voice.

"Whoa, calm down there," Ashley remarked, taken aback by my sudden outburst. I sighed and rested my elbow on the desk, placing my forehead in my hand.

"I'm sorry, Ash. I know you're trying to help, but I just want some time alone right now," I said wearily, rubbing my temples.

"Alright then."

She stood up and gave me a sad smile before walking out of my office.

That night, I left work earlier than usual because of the meeting. I stopped to buy some Chinese take-out on the way home because God knows I couldn't cook.

I'd attempted to make myself dinner the past two nights, but both times had resulted in complete failure. My mac-and-cheese had been too cheesy, it tasted like salt. And as for the grilled chicken, I might have overcooked it- to the point where the smoke alarm had gone off.

When I got home, it was only seven. I headed to the kitchen, and it felt awfully empty not seeing Claire in there preparing some fancy dish like she normally would.

In fact, the entire house felt lonely without her presence. I missed hearing her sweet voice, even if most of the time, she'd either be yelling at me or scolding me like a child.

As I sat down at the dining table, I felt a throbbing ache in my chest. I missed Claire so much, it hurt. This house just didn't feel like home without her.

I suddenly lost my appetite and ended up putting the untouched Chinese food into the fridge. Afterwards, I headed upstairs to my room and took a long shower.

If there was one thing I'd learned ever since my wife had left, it was this- I needed her a lot more than she'd ever need me.

***

It was Thursday night and I had just arrived home from work. With each passing day that Claire didn't return, I had slowly begun to turn into an emotional wreck. I felt depressed and worthless, struggling to keep a grip on reality.

I took off my suit jacket then collapsed onto the couch, muttering a bunch of curses to myself. I honestly couldn't go on with my life like this anymore. I  _needed_  my wife back.

At a time like this, my body craved something that could ease me down. I suddenly remembered the bottle of vodka that I'd recently bought and went to go get it from the kitchen.

That night, I drank to my heart's content, letting the alcohol erase all of the stress and guilt I was currently bearing.

Around one in the morning, I was sprawled on the couch, totally drunk. The empty bottle of vodka lay on the ground, and I didn't bother to get rid of it.

I forced myself to get up then stumbled up the stairs, but instead of heading to my own room, I dragged my feet towards Claire's.

I normally never went in her room, but I was completely wasted and she was all I could think about. I crashed onto her bed and before I knew it, I fell into a deep sleep, hugging her pillow to my chest.

The sun shone brightly through the window the following morning, blinding my eyes. I groaned and rolled over on my side, slowly opening them.

"Shit!", I exclaimed, looking at the alarm which read ten o'clock.

Immediately, I got out of bed and rushed towards my room, grabbing a clean suit from the closet before heading into the shower.

Twenty-five minutes later, I arrived at work and quickly took the elevator up to my office. I ran into my colleague, Keith Harrington, on the way and he greeted me with a brief nod.

The truth was, I could show up whenever I wanted because I  _was_  the CEO, but I prefered to be as early as possible so I wouldn't have to stay behind late at night.

My head was still pounding from the vodka yesterday, and I felt extremely drowsy since I hadn't had any coffee yet. All I wanted was to be back in bed right now.

"Derek, there you are!", I heard Ashley call as she walked towards me, wearing an extremely low blouse and tight black skirt.

"Hey, Ash," I greeted briefly, brushing past her, but she grabbed my arm and I paused in my footsteps. Her amber eyes roamed over my face then she folded her arms across her chest.

"Wow, you look...awful. But don't worry, you're still as handsome as ever," she commented with a wink before heading to her office.

It was true, I  _did_  look awful. I had stubble growing on my chin and cheeks for days that I hadn't shaved off yet, and my eyes were still swollen and red from the lack of sleep I'd been getting.

On the other hand, I had finally resolved that I was going to find Claire before I'd start to lose my mind. But first, I just needed to take care of a few business matters. Thank god I didn't have much to do today.

It was nearly noon by the time I finished up my work and just as I was about to leave my office, Ashley walked in with a puzzled expression on her face.

"Where are you going?", she asked.

"I have to find Claire or else I'm gonna go insane," I responded abruptly.

"Who cares where she is? It's not like she's divorcing you. She just wants a little 'break'. So quit worrying about your partnership deal with her brother. It's gonna be fine," she said, placing a hand on my shoulder.

Instead of comforting me, her words had only aggravated me even more, and I shoved her hand away.

"I don't give a fuck about the business deal right now! Don't you get it, Ashley? She's my  _wife_! How am I supposed to sleep at night knowing that she's off on her own somewhere? For all I know, she could even be locked up in some rapist's basement!", I lashed out in exasperation.

"Or, she could be at a friend's house," Ashley pointed out calmly.

"But I have no form of contact with any of her friends. I don't know where they live either," I stated, lowering my voice.

Then, I suddenly remembered Charlotte Decker, Claire's best friend. I vaguely recalled my wife once telling me about how she worked downtown for this one bank company.

Wells Fargo.

That was it.

I glanced at my watch and figured that if I hurried, I could head over there before Charlotte's lunch break.

"Derek, wait-,"

I completely ignored Ashley as I rushed out of my office, feeling a surge of hope that I'd finally be able to see my wife again soon.

The moment I stepped outside the building, I breathed in the fresh ocean air, letting it awaken my dulled senses. Normally on a day like this, I'd walk over to Charlotte's workplace, but I was obviously in a rush and driving would be the fastest way to get there.

After finding a spot to park my car, I quickly headed inside the Wells Fargo tower. The receptionist was busy talking on the phone, and I began to grow impatient as I waited for her to finish.

"Oh, you're Mr. Weston! How may I help you?", she asked with a friendly tone.

 _Finally_.

"I'm wondering if you could tell me where Charlotte Decker's office is," I said politely.

"It's on the third floor, first room to your left."

I thanked the receptionist and smiled gratefully at her. All of a sudden, her cheeks began to grow red. I didn't know why. I mean, the building wasn't even hot or anything.

 _Weird_.

I took the elevator upstairs and when I got out, Charlotte herself stood there, waiting to go down.

"Derek? What are you doing here?", she asked me skeptically, raising an eyebrow.

"I need to talk to you. It's about Claire," I said urgently.

"How did you know where I worked?"

"She told me once."

Charlotte sighed then led me to her office. I shut the door and we both sat down at her desk.

"Let me guess, you wanna know where Claire is?"

"Yes. Is she staying with you?"

"No," she stated simply.

"Have you seen her this week?"

"Yeah, I did."

"Charlotte, I'm begging you. I  _need_  to know where my wife is. I can't stand being away from her anymore."

"Why should I tell you? You're the one who caused her to run away in the first place," she snapped.

"I know, and I regret it all. There hasn't been a single day ever since she'd left where I haven't thought about her. I miss her like crazy," I confessed in a pained voice.

"You wanna know something, Derek? You may be a rich and successful businessman, but when it comes to marriage, you fucking suck.

"You only care about your own benefits and not Claire's. She told me everything about the things you've said and done to her. How do you think it makes me feel as her best friend to hear how much pain she's been through because of you?", she continued.

"I'm sorry," I muttered quietly, looking down at my lap.

"You better be. She had to give up so much of her life. And all for what? To be with some asshole of a husband that treats her like crap?!"

I was silent, not because I was offended by what Charlotte had said, but because she was telling the utter truth. I wasn't gonna lie though, her words had stung. A lot.

Charlotte sighed heavily and then reached out to touch my arm. I looked at her face, and it softened a bit as she continued to speak.

"Listen, Derek, I know that deep down, you  _do_  care about Claire. But if you want your marriage to work out, then you've got to show her that."

"Believe me, Charlotte, I'll never be able to forgive myself for all the hurt I've caused her. I just want another chance to show her that I  _can_  treat her the way a real husband should treat his wife. But what's the point? She might never even come home again," I said defeatedly.

"Don't be too hard on yourself, Derek. I guarantee you she will if you talk to her," Charlotte reassured.

"You don't know what Claire is like. She always sticks to her guts. And her guts hate me."

"But that doesn't mean she'll never want to see you again. Here, I'll give you the address of where she's staying," Charlotte said, getting a pen.

"Why didn't she stay with you?", I asked.

"She was afraid you'd know where I live and find her."

Charlotte handed me the piece of paper with the address written on it then I stood up.

"Thanks a lot, Charlotte. Trust me, I've learned my lesson now. I'm never letting Claire go ever again."

I offered my hand for her to shake, but instead, she pulled me into a giant bear hug, which caught me off guard for a moment.

"Go get her back, big guy," she said with a genuine smile, playfully slapping my back before stepping away.

I grinned and walked out of her office. Charlotte truly was a good person. No wonder my wife was best friends with her.

Before getting into the elevator, I suddenly realized that I had forgotten one important detail.

_Whose address was I even going to?_

I quickly turned around and rushed back to Charlotte, who was also leaving for her lunch break.

"Um, I forgot to ask, but who is Claire staying with?"

"Oops, how could I forget to tell you! Dustin Coleman is his name," she replied with a laugh. I, on the other hand, was not laughing.

_Claire was staying with a_ _**guy** _ _?!_

"Who's Dustin?", I demanded.

"We met him at the club back in June. He's a really cool guy," she said before heading downstairs.

__Oh hell no..._ _

 


	13. Freedom at Last

 

**Claire's POV**

When I walked into Dustin's apartment, the first thing I noticed was how unorganized it was. He had tons of stuff scattered everywhere on the floor, but apart from that, it was a pretty nice place. However, with a little bit of rearranging, I bet it'd be tidy in no time.

"Sorry if it's a bit messy. I'm still deciding what to bring to college," Dustin remarked, scratching the back of his head.

_Oh, so_ _**that's** _ _why._

"No problem," I reassured with a smile.

He led me to the spare bedroom, which was located directly across from his. It had a full-sized bed, dresser, and nightstand. I could tell that no one ever slept in it based on how clean and empty it looked.

To be honest, I did feel kind of awkward being alone with Dustin in his apartment. But I reminded myself that it was only temporary and besides, he was a nice guy that I could easily talk to. I bet in a couple of days, I'd get used to it.

As I was putting my suitcase into the closet, I couldn't help but wonder what Derek was doing right now. He probably was out celebrating with his friends now that I had finally left, and he could be free to do whatever his twisted heart desired.

Just the thought of his face made me want to throw up. I hoped I'd never have to see him again for the rest of my life. I could just imagine the headline:  **24-year old Derek Weston- CEO of Weston Hotel Group- Dies From Rare Shark Attack**.

Ok, maybe that was a little bit too far. But still, he deserved to suffer for everything he'd done to me.

That night, Dustin and I ordered a pizza for dinner and we watched a movie. I ended up falling asleep on the couch like I usually did and dreamt of my good old college days.

The following morning, Charlotte called me and I let her in on my current 'situation'. She became outraged and swore into the phone when I told her about the night I'd had dinner with Derek's parents and how his mother had acted like a bitch.

"And don't even get me started on the whole deal with his chocolate cake," I said, rolling my eyes as I remembered that day.

"What happened?", Charlotte asked.

"I was sick, and he made me bake him a cake for his stupid banquet at work. And do you know what time it was? Freaking ten o'clock at night."

"Holy shit, he's mental I tell you," she blurted.

"And that's not it. The following night, he came home and told me that my cake had tasted like shit," I continued.

"But you were sick! That bastard!", she exclaimed into the phone.

"Tell me about it," I agreed with a heavy sigh.

"You never would've left, though, if he'd been a considerate guy, right?"

"Of course I wouldn't. You know, sometimes, when Derek does something nice for me, I can actually imagine myself spending the rest of my life with him."

"But how often is he like that?", she prompted.

"Like, never," I scoffed.

"Sad. Listen, I'll stop by after work tomorrow and we can go out for dinner or something," Charlotte offered.

"That sounds great. Dustin's at work right now, so I'll probably go jogging for a bit."

"Ok. How's Dustin by the way?"

"He's cool," I replied.

"Do you like him?", she asked in a suggestive tone.

"No! Well, as a friend, yes. But I don't like him  _that_  way," I quickly responded.

"Whatever you say. See you later, girlie."

"Bye, Char."

Once I hung up the phone, I went to change into a pair of light blue Nike running shorts and a white tshirt. The sun was shining brightly, and the temperature wasn't too hot either. It was just another perfect day to be outside.

I decided to drive to Coronado Island and run a lap there. The Script's  _Science and Faith_ album was playing in my earbuds as I jogged along the harbor, admiring the beautiful view of downtown San Diego.

Running had always been a passion of mine ever since I was little. It helped me to forget about all of my problems and just relax. Each time I ran, I'd push myself to go a longer distance than before.

To me, nothing felt better than being able to accomplish a goal, whether it was school or sports-related, or anything else.

I still remembered the day my hockey team made it to State back in high school. After several intense battles on ice at the Xcel Energy Center, we ended up winning the Class AA Championship against one of our biggest rivals. It had been one of the most memorable achievements of my life.

The boys' team that Nick played on had always made it to the State Tournament every single year because they were absolutely phenomenal. In fact, most of those guys went on to play for the big colleges and even the NHL.

Sometimes, I thought about how different my life would've been if Nick was still alive, and my father had never forced me into marrying Derek. I'd probably still be living in Minnesota after I graduated from college.

As for marriage, would I have married Nick? I mean, if we were able to maintain a long distance relationship, and he didn't fall for another girl while he played in Chicago, then yes, I'd marry him. If he proposed of course.

Once I began to grow tired, I sat down on a bench and stretched my legs out. I stared at the boats that were docked in the marina, thinking about Nick and how much I missed him.

At that moment, my phone started ringing and I snapped out of my thoughts, checking to see who was calling. A frown formed on my lips as I looked at the screen.

Derek.

I ignored it and took a deep breath to cool my body down. He probably was going to ask where I was, but I planned on never speaking to him again until he learned to quit being a jerk.

***

Charlotte and I had just finished eating dinner and were walking along the nighttime streets of downtown San Diego. Dustin was over at his friend's place and tomorrow, the two of us were planning on going to Mission Beach.

I wondered if Charlotte would be able to come, too. I mean, the more the merrier, right?

"Hey, do you and Elliot want to go to Mission with me and Dustin tomorrow evening?", I asked her.

"Sure, what time?"

"Around six," I replied.

"Sounds good. I haven't been there in ages," she said.

"I know, me too. There's also a concert at seven."

"Ooh nice."

After making a few purchases at our favorite clothing shops, we decided to walk over to the local bar to have some light drinks and listen to music.

I was enjoying my freedom, not having to worry about my husband and his crazy demands. I wished life could always be like this. But sooner or later, I'd have to return home to him. Hopefully, that wouldn't be the case until at least a couple more weeks.

When I got back to Dustin's apartment, it was nearly eleven. I stopped outside his room and found him lying on the bed, playing with a football.

"Hey, Claire," he greeted with a smile, sitting up.

"You're not sleepy yet?"

"I am, but I wanted to make sure that you got back first before I dozed off."

_Wow, the guy definitely cared about me._

"You didn't have to do that. I'm a big girl, remember?", I said playfully, plopping down on the bed next to him.

"Yeah, I know. It tends to be a habit for me though. I grew up with a younger sister and every time she went out, I'd stay up until she got home before going to bed."

"Aww, that's seriously so sweet how you looked after her like that," I commented.

"Well, I  _am_  her older brother. I feel like it's my job to protect her, you know?"

_Ok, Dustin Coleman seriously had to be the sweetest guy on this planet._

"Yeah. So, I guess  _I'm_  like your little sister now."

"Pretty much," he said with a grin.

"Speaking of siblings, I sure miss my older brother. In fact, his name is quite similar to yours, too," I remarked.

"Oh, really? What is it?"

"Justin."

"Nice. He's a businessman like your husband too, right?"

"Yes, but unlike Derek, my brother actually knows how to treat people with respect. Anyways, I'm probably gonna go to bed now," I said, getting up.

"Yeah, me too. Good night, Claire."

"Good night, Dustin."

I gave him a smile and shut his bedroom door before heading to my room. I realized then that all this time I'd spent with Dustin, he had felt like an older brother to me. And I sure was grateful to have met him in the first place.

As the days went by, I began to feel like my usual cheerful self. So many things had come crashing down on me in the past- first, Nick and my father's deaths, then the news about my arranged marriage to Derek- that I couldn't even remember the last time I'd ever been this happy.

It was Friday and I had decided to sleep in, so I didn't get up until eleven. Derek had called me several times this week, but I never answered him. He probably just wanted me back home so I could continue being his maid.

I took a shower and changed into a pair of gray cotton shorts from Victoria's Secret and a pink tank top since I wasn't planning on going anywhere today. Besides, there was nothing I loved more than dressing in comfy clothes.

Once I finished putting my hair up in a messy bun, my stomach began to growl, and I headed to the kitchen to see what I could make for breakfast. Dustin's fridge was pretty much empty except for a carton of milk and some eggs. So, I opted to just have cereal.

As I ate in the living room, I watched  _Keeping Up With the Kardashians_ , which happened to be one of my favorite shows on TV. My mother had always said that she never got the point of it. I just liked it mainly because it was funny and entertaining.

Oh, and Brody Jenner was such a babe, too.

An hour later, I was about to go wash my bowl in the kitchen when the doorbell rang. I didn't know if Dustin was expecting anyone today. But if so, he probably would've told me in advance, which he hadn't.

My body immediately stilled when the person began to knock on the door impatiently. I waited for a few moments to see if they'd stop, but they just kept on knocking.

_Oh, for god's sake!_

I grew annoyed, setting my bowl down on the table before going to answer the door. The moment I opened it, my eyes widened in horror as a huge gasp escaped my lungs. 

_What the hell was my husband doing here?!_


	14. Another Chance

 

I slammed the door in Derek's face then ran as fast as I could to my bedroom. I quickly shut the door and locked it, sliding onto the floor as my heart began pounding in my chest.

_This couldn't be happening..._

His loud footsteps sounded throughout the entire apartment, and I sucked in a deep breath when I heard them pause right outside my room.

"Open the door," Derek spoke in a calm tone.

I remained silent as I felt my eyes begin to water. This was so unfair. One minute, I thought I could finally be happy again and the next, my selfish husband came to take it all away, expecting me to be able to talk to him after everything he'd put me through.

"Claire, you can't keep hiding from me like this," he said with a frustrated groan.

"Yes I can!", I shouted angrily through my tears.

"Please, Claire, I need to talk to you. I'll wait out here all day if I need to."

I muttered a bunch of curses under my breath then unwillingly reached up to open the door for Derek. He stepped into the room and nearly kicked me since I was sitting on the floor.

"Claire!", he exclaimed, quickly bending down as he wrapped his arms around me.

"Let go of me!", I protested, attempting to push my husband away, but that only made him tighten his embrace.

"Damn it, I've missed you so much," he said urgently, kissing the top of my head.

I winced in disgust and kneed Derek in the balls, causing him to immediately back off of me. He stumbled to his feet, and I stood up also, placing my hands on my hips.

"What the fuck was that for?!", he exclaimed in disbelief, glancing down at his manhood.

"How the hell did you find me?", I demanded.

"Charlotte told me you were here," he responded.

"She what?!", I yelled.

_How could my best friend betray me like this?!_

"Claire, look at me," Derek ordered, reaching out to grab my wrists.

"Go away!"

"Goddamn it, will you just let me talk to you?!", he shouted in a desperate tone.

I forced myself to look up at my husband, and that's when I noticed how worn out he was. The usual sparkle in his eyes had disappeared and instead, they were now dull and red. He hadn't shaved in days, and it was obvious he'd lost a ton of weight, too.

_I wondered what could be the cause of his dramatic change in appearance._

I went to sit down on the bed and Derek placed himself next to me, his eyes burning right through mine with such intensity, I thought I'd fall victim to him in a heartbeat. But that wasn't going to happen. I was perfectly capable of standing up for myself.

So what he had to say better be good.

"Claire, I can't even begin to tell you how sorry I am. For everything. I was a dick for treating you so horribly, and I took you for granted when instead, I should've appreciated you because honestly, I probably will never find a wife like you ever again in my entire life," he spoke, looking completely torn.

I was silent then waited for him to continue.

"When you left me, I just couldn't stop thinking about you. I kept telling myself that you'd come back in a couple of days. But you didn't."

"So what did you do then?", I muttered.

"I became a total wreck. I couldn't eat or sleep, and I hated myself more and more each day. The guilt ate me alive.

"But the hardest part was dealing with the pain of knowing that you were gone. You have no idea how much I missed you, Claire."

By then, Derek's face had pain and misery written all over it, and he almost looked as if he was going to cry. I'd never seen him like this before, and to be honest, it was pretty sad.

The both of us just sat there in silence because I couldn't figure out what to say. Derek clearly had been suffering ever since I'd left, unlike me who was glad to be away from him. But now, I honestly didn't know anymore.

"Maybe if you had opened up to me about how you really felt towards our marriage, then this never would've happened," Derek spoke quietly, glancing sideways at me.

"Why should I open up to the man who treats me like I'm some cheap maid and is never even home to talk to me?", I snapped.

"Look, I said I was sorry for treating you like that. But it's not my fault I'm always busy at work. Being a CEO is a lot more stressful than you think."

"Yeah, and being your wife isn't," I sneered.

All of a sudden, Derek pushed me back onto the mattress, and I let out a giant squeal as he climbed on top of me, pinning my arms to my sides.

_Holy crap, the man was going all "50 Shades of Grey" on me_ _!_

"What are you-?!", I began to protest when he placed his long index finger over my mouth. I immediately shut up. 

Derek tilted my chin up so that I was gazing into his blue orbs as I continued to squirm underneath his muscular frame.

"Claire, I promise I'll never say or do anything to hurt you ever again. Just please, come home," he begged with pleading eyes.

 _Oh, what the heck, j_ _ust give him a second chance already_ , my inner subconscious told me.

"Ok fine, I forgive you," I groaned exasperatedly.

"Does that mean you're coming home, too?", he asked hopefully.

"Yeah, yeah. Now get off of me."

Derek's face instantly lit up and he removed his weight from my body, enabling me to sit back up.

"Huh, I guess Charlotte was right after all," he remarked as he straightened out his tie.

"What are you talking about?"

"She guaranteed that you'd come home if I said the right things to you. And it looks like I did," he replied with a grin.

"Whatever," I said, rolling my eyes.

Derek's face suddenly grew serious, and I was about to walk out of the room when he stopped me, grabbing my elbow.

_Oh god, not another one of his 'bipolar phases'._

"Why are you dressed like this?", he asked, his eyes roaming over my tank top and shorts that barely covered my butt.

"Oh no, don't even think about it. I did  _not_  sleep with Dustin if that's what you're wondering," I snapped, glaring at him.

"Who said I was even thinking about that?", he retorted.

_Yeah, right._

I scoffed and then removed his hand from my arm.

"Just save it," I muttered in an irritated tone before heading out to the living room.

Derek and I decided to stay at Dustin's apartment until he came home so that I could thank him in person for everything that he'd done for me.

Around four, Dustin strolled in while I was watching TV in the living room. He first looked at my suitcase that lay on the ground and then at me.

"How was work?", I asked him.

"Same as usual. Hey, are you leaving or something?"

"Yeah. My husband is here. I'm going back home with him," I replied.

"Are you serious?! Did he force you to?", Dustin exclaimed.

"No, it was my own decision," I reassured.

"Thank god." He sighed in relief.

"We talked and Derek apologized for all the things he'd done. He went through a lot while I was gone, so I think he's learned his lesson now."

"He better. Where is he even?", Dustin asked, looking around the room.

"I'm right here," I heard Derek say.

He'd just finished using the bathroom and was walking towards the couch. His eyes immediately narrowed when he saw Dustin, and he shoved his hands into his pockets.

"Um, Derek, this is my friend, Dustin Coleman," I introduced, pretending to cough afterwards.

"It's nice to meet you," Derek said coldly as he shook Dustin's hand.

"You too. I've heard a lot of  _great_  things about you," Dustin stated sarcastically.

"Were you the guy that danced with my wife back in June?"

"Yup," he replied, popping the 'p'.

Derek's body immediately stiffened, and he clenched his jaw as he glared at Dustin. I couldn't help but find it rather entertaining.

_My husband was_ **_so_ ** _jealous._

"Well, we should probably go now. Thank you for letting me stay here. And for everything else, too," I said to Dustin, giving him a brief hug before retrieving my suitcase.

"Anything for a friend. Oh, and Derek, you've got a wonderful lady right here. So you better treat her like one," he spoke, directing his attention to my husband.

"I will," Derek muttered bitterly.

"Good luck with college and football," I said to Dustin as my husband and I were walking out of his apartment.

"See ya, Claire."

We were both silent on our way out to the parking lot and when we got there, Derek turned around to look at me with a stern expression on his face.

"What?", I asked in an innocent tone.

"Do you have feelings for that Dustin guy?", he demanded hotly, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

_God, someone kill me._

"You have no right to be jealous of him! You haven't even acted like a husband ever since we got married! And to answer your stupid question, no. I  _don't_ have feelings for Dustin."

"Well, he obviously has a thing for  _you_ ," Derek spat, narrowing his eyes.

"Whatever. Anything else you wanna tell me?"

"You better drive straight home, got it?"

_Wow, he seriously thought that I was going to ditch him or something._

"Yes, Mr. Bossy-Pants," I said with an exasperated groan before heading towards my Mercedes.

_Derek had better not make me regret my decision to go back home to him._

 


	15. Misunderstandings

 

Derek and I both arrived home at the same time, and the moment I stepped into the main hall, I realized how much I had actually missed this place.

I guessed I had finally grown to love its ridiculously large size and luxurious interior. After all, Derek's house had been my home, too, for quite some time now.

"Hey, I'm gonna head to the gym for a bit. I'll be back for dinner," my husband announced.

"Alright. Oh, and how come you were able to leave work early today?"

"I didn't have that many things to do," he replied.

"I see."

I was about to go upstairs when I noticed an empty bottle of vodka lying on the ground in the living room out of the corner of my eye. I went to grab it then quickly caught up to Derek as he was about to leave the house.

"Derek!", I called out.

"What?", he asked, turning around to face me.

"Have you been drinking?"

"No." He cocked his head to one side and gave me a weird look.

"Then what's this?", I demanded, holding up the bottle of vodka.

"Oh,  _that_. Yeah, I had it yesterday night. You know, to try and make myself forget about you," he said nonchalantly.

"The whole thing?! Oh my god Derek, you could've blacked out! Or maybe even worse!"

"Hey, relax. It wasn't even that bad. I'm fine, see?", he reassured, placing his hands on my shoulders.

"Promise me you will never drink like that ever again," I stated in a stern tone.

"I promise, but only if you never run away ever again."

"We'll see about  _that_ ," I said defiantly, stabbing my finger at his hard chest.

Derek smirked and then I turned around, heading upstairs to my room so that I could unpack my suitcase.

When I walked in, I was surprised to see that my bed wasn't neatly made like how I had left it last Saturday. The pillows were scattered everywhere, and the blanket was all wrinkled.

_Who possibly could've slept in it while I was gone?_

I made a mental note to myself to ask Derek about it once he got back. As I was putting my clean clothes back into the closet, my phone rang and I dug it out of my purse to see who was calling.

Charlotte.

And boy, did I need to have a word with her. 

"Hello?", I answered.

"Hey, girlie! Are you back home yet?", she asked.

"Yeah, I am. So, what's the deal between you and Derek? He told me that you gave him Dustin's address so he could find me."

"Trust me, Claire, I was  _not_  easy on him like you think. You should've heard the things I said to your husband. I made him drown in his own guilt and taught him a damn good lesson, too," she explained.

"Oh, really?", I remarked in amusement.

"You bet I did. I wasn't even going to let Derek know where you were staying because that's how angry I was. But then, I saw the desperate look in his eyes, and he kept saying how much he'd missed you. He was totally beating himself up over everything.

"I couldn't help but feel sorry for him. So in the end, I gave him Dustin's address. Claire, I know Derek will become a better man for you. Just give it some time," Charlotte finished.

"Wow, who knew my best friend was secretly a marriage counselor?", I said teasingly. She laughed.

"I just want you and Derek to be happy together."

"I understand. Well, I have to go make dinner now. See you next week."

"Bye, Claire."

Charlotte had just recently bought tickets to the Padres' game next Friday, and she'd wanted me to go with her.

I personally wasn't a fan of baseball, but I did enjoy sitting out in the sun with thousands of other people. The atmosphere was fun, not necessarily the game itself. Well, at least for me.

Since it was a beautiful evening, I decided to set up dinner outside in the backyard. As I was preparing the steak, Derek walked into the kitchen, wearing a pair of gray sweatpants that hung low on his hips and a white tshirt that emphasized his toned upper body.

_Ugh, why_ _couldn't he be less of a hunk?_

"Oh, you're back," I said, giving him a smile.

"Yup. God, I can't wait to finally eat some real food again."

"What have you had the past week?", I asked him.

"Let's see. I ordered takeout most days and had a pizza on Wednesday. Oh, and I even tried to cook my own dinner twice."

"How did that go?"

"Horrible," he replied, pretending to gag. I laughed.

"Well, that's unfortunate. Oh, and since you're already here, can you check on the French onion soup for me real quick?"

"What do I have to do?", he asked with a slight edge to his voice.

"Just make sure that the cheese doesn't burn."

"Sounds easy enough," he said, breathing a sigh of relief before heading towards the oven.

 _Oh, Derek and his cooking fears,_ I thought to myself, smiling.

It was seven, and we were eating dinner under the gazebo on a small table in our backyard. The sky was a magnificent shade of pinkish-orange in preparation for the sunset- which had always been my favorite time of the day.

"This steak is so good," Derek complimented before putting another large piece into his mouth.

"Thank you. Oh, and by the way, did anyone sleep in my bedroom while I was gone?"

"Crap, I was afraid you'd notice. I was in a hurry this morning and forgot to make the bed."

"Wait, so  _you_  were the one who slept in my room?"

"Yeah. I guess I just missed you so much," he confessed with a sheepish grin.

I felt my cheeks flush and then pretended to clear my throat before speaking.

"So, how did the auction go?"

"It was good," Derek replied. I suddenly thought of his secretary and decided to bring her up also.

"Was Ashley there?"

"Yeah, she was," he responded, narrowing his eyes. "You know, you're always asking about her."

"So?"

"Are you jealous of her or something?", he asked, raising an eyebrow. I nearly choked on my soup.

"Of course not!"

Derek crossed his arms in front of his chest, leaning back in his chair as he stared at me, his eyes lit up in amusement.

"She didn't have to kiss you right in front of my face that one time, though," I muttered quietly, looking down at my plate.

"You still remember that?"

"How could I possibly forget? You should've seen her that night. She wouldn't stop talking about the two of you. It was almost like she'd forgotten that I was your wife."

"Wait, was Ashley the reason you had been so quiet in the car?"

I slowly nodded my head in response and then my face grew sad. Derek reached out to touch my hand, causing a mixture of different sensations to burst throughout my entire body.

"Hey, what's wrong?", he asked with genuine concern.

"Nothing. I was just thinking about how happy you looked when you were dancing with her. And I don't know, I guessed it just kind of made me feel upset that night."

"Why is that?"

"Because I knew that you and I could never be like that. I mean, you're still in love with Ashley, right?"

"No. We just dated for a couple of years, and I had feelings for her back then. But I never actually loved her. And I certainly hadn't planned on marrying her like my mother had told you." Derek explained.

"So...you've never been in love before?"

"Nope. What about you?", he asked, his eyes gleaming with interest.

"I'd rather not talk about it," I murmured, stirring the remains of the soup in my bowl.

_God knows I would never tell anyone about Nick- especially my husband._

Derek raised his eyebrow questioningly but then decided to just leave it at that. We both finished the rest of our dinner in silence, and I was about to stand up when he began to speak.

"So, I was talking to my mother awhile ago, and she said that she's expecting us to have kids soon."

My body immediately froze, and I felt as if I was going to throw up. He'd better be joking. But judging from the blank look on his face, he wasn't.

"Are you serious? I'd rather live the rest of my life blind than have children with you! Honestly, what's the point? You're just going to treat our kids the way you treated me. I'd pity them for having a father like you," I said coldly.

"I thought you've already forgiven me," Derek mumbled as he rubbed the back of his neck, sounding hurt.

"Just because I forgave you doesn't mean that I'm ready to let you in completely. You know, it's going to take a lot more than 'sorry' to fix our relationship- not like we ever even had one to begin with. I mean, for heaven's sake, you and I don't even sleep in the same bed.

"And as for your mother, I don't care what she wants. I absolutely hate her."

"Why?", Derek asked.

"She made me feel like shit compared to that beloved secretary of yours that night at dinner," I spat.

My husband was at a loss for words, and I took it as an opportunity to continue exposing the hatred I felt towards his mother that I'd kept to myself for so long.

"Do you not remember the things she told me? She said that you would've been 'so lucky' to have married Ashley.

"And what am I to your mother? Just some undereducated, former hockey player that doesn't deserve you. Do you have any idea how hurt I was that night?"

I was fighting the urge to cry, but I just couldn't control it. Tears began to roll down my cheeks and I sat there, waiting for my husband to say something.

"I didn't know. I thought everything she said had been accurate," he finally spoke.

"Well, you  _did_  know that you didn't have feelings for Ashley anymore and that you had never planned on marrying her.

"So, why didn't you tell your mom that instead of just sit there, making it look as if I had ruined your precious relationship with Ashley?!", I demanded, raising my voice. I was beyond furious right now.

Once again, Derek was totally silent.

"See? I knew it. You didn't care about me then, and you never will in the future either," I said bitterly, wiping away my tears with my thumb.

"Claire-,"

"Or, you just won't admit that you still have feelings for Ashley," I blurted.

"I don't," Derek said sternly.

"Why not? According to your mother, Ashley is 'far more beautiful than me'," I snapped.

"She was wrong about that," he mumbled.

"Oh, really?", I challenged.

"Believe me, Claire,  _you_  are the most beautiful woman I'd ever laid eyes on. I'm not kidding when I say that. I mean it.

"And I made a huge mistake in not defending you that night at my parents'. It's just- my mother is really sensitive, and I was afraid that if I objected to something that she had said, then she'd feel hurt."

Derek had a solemn look on his face as he briefly glanced at me before staring off into the distance.

"What do you mean, she's sensitive?", I asked, not quite understanding.

"I don't know how to explain it. She just...Look, I don't wanna talk about it," he said wearily.

"Ok then..."

Derek got up and grabbed his plate, walking towards the sliding door that led to the kitchen. Before stepping inside, he turned around to look at me.

"I'm gonna go to bed now. My head still kind of hurts from yesterday. I'll see you in the morning."

"Alright." I sighed.

I decided to stay outside for a while longer as I began to get lost in my own thoughts. I'd found out quite a lot about my husband tonight, and although our conversation had cleared up some misunderstandings between the both of us, it had also led to a bunch of unanswered questions that were currently brewing in my head.

Like what on earth Derek had meant when he'd said that his mother was 'sensitive'.

 


	16. For the First Time

 

I woke up early the following morning to go on my daily jog and then after that, I went grocery shopping at Ralphs since we were currently running low on vegetables.

Now that September was nearing, the temperatures had gotten cooler, but nonetheless, it was still sunny most days.

What I missed the most about Minnesota apart from my family was the weather. There were four distinct seasons, unlike here in San Diego where it felt like summer year-long.

I hadn't been home in years to see the brilliant fall leaves change color because by the time they did, I'd already be away at Stanford for college. I remembered my first winter there and how weird it had felt not having any snow.

Back in Minnesota, we'd get so much snow to the point where schools and businesses had to close until they could shovel it all. Along with that, our temperatures would occasionally drop to -50 degrees fahrenheit and on those days, nobody dared to venture outside. 

I'd always loved summer the best. My friends and I would spend the weekends at our cabins up in Northern Minnesota. There were plenty of things to do at the lakes there- such as motorboating, tubing or swimming.

And when we were home, we'd throw these huge bonfires in our backyards at night and invite a bunch of people over.

I longed to go back to those carefree days in the past when I hadn't known what grief and pain felt like. But it was tragedies like Nick and my father's deaths that had shaped me into the person I was today.

When I returned home, Derek was nowhere to be found. I put away the groceries then went looking for him. His cars were still parked in the garage, so he had to be here somewhere.

After doing a thorough search of our giant house, I headed out to the backyard and there he was, cleaning up the storage shed where he normally kept the lawn mower, garden tools, and other outdoor equipment.

"Good morning," I greeted cheerfully _._ Derek spun around at the sound of my voice.

"Oh hey, Claire." He grinned, his eyes lighting up.

"Does your head still hurt?"

"Nope, I'm fine now. Where were you?", he asked, wiping a bead of sweat on his brow.

"I went grocery shopping. What are you doing?"

"I'm just moving some of these things to the garage," he replied.

"I see. I'll go make you some breakfast."

"That's ok, I already ate."

"Oh. Well then you know what, I think I'm gonna swim for a bit," I remarked, glancing over at our magnificent pool that was just beckoning for me to go in.

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. The weather's really nice today. I'll join you once I finish," he said with a wide smile.

I went back inside and headed upstairs to my bedroom. I dug in my closet for my hot pink bikini then put it on after changing out of my running clothes.

It was also a perfect day to tan so I decided to do that first once I got outside. I put my sunglasses on then applied some tanning lotion onto my body.

After kicking my flip flops off, I lay down on the poolside chaise lounge underneath the glaring sun, listening to my favorite playlist that I put on shuffle.

 _Ah, this was so nice_.

I closed my eyes and relaxed, soaking up the sun as the cool breeze ruffled my hair. I completely lost track of time when I felt a light tap on my shoulder.

I took one earbud out and pulled my sunglasses down, looking up to see a shirtless Derek standing over me with his glorious six-pack on display.

He was wearing a pair of navy-white swim trunks that hung deliciously low on his hips, exposing his v-lines that I couldn't seem to stop staring at. His eyes were gleaming in amusement as a crooked smile began to form on his lips.

_Was it even possible for him to be this jaw-droppingly gorgeous?_

"I didn't know you were a fan of The Script," he remarked.

"Wait, what?", I spluttered, completely baffled.

"I heard you singing,  _For the First Time_ _._ "

"Crap, I was?" My cheeks were flushed with embarrassment. Derek chuckled.

"Yeah, you were. I love The Script, too, especially that song. It's old but still good," he said.

"I know right? I'd die to go to their concert."

"Same. You've got a nice voice, by the way," he commented with a wink.

"I do?"

"Yup," he replied before diving into the water.

 _Huh, I never knew I could sing,_  I thought to myself.

I sat up then got into the pool with Derek. We stayed outside for what felt like hours, simply enjoying each other's company.

We swam and talked about our likes and dislikes, and I found out that along with our similar tastes in music, he and I had a lot more in common than I'd originally thought.

_Maybe there was hope left for our relationship after all..._

***

It was Friday night and Charlotte and I were at Petco Park, watching the Padres baseball game. Our seats were behind the dugout close to home plate, giving us a clear view of the players when they went up to bat.

I wore my white jersey with a pair of dark blue jean shorts. Charlotte- being the huge baseball fan that she was- completely went all out. She had a jersey and cap on, and her socks were dark blue and white- the team colors. She even had the Padres' logo temporarily tattooed on her cheek.

Unfortunately, we were currently losing to the New York Yankees by a score of 4-2. However, it was only the fifth inning, so we still had time to turn the game around.

I began to grow bored during the seventh inning and pulled out my phone to see if there was any news regarding the NHL. It was still off-season, but occasionally, something interesting would come up.

I also liked reading about what my favorite teams were doing to boost their performance for the upcoming season. And it was then that I realized how much I missed going to hockey games.

The last time I went to one was back when Nick was still alive. And it hadn't been just any ordinary game, but in fact the Stanley Cup Final. I'd never forget that day. It had been the greatest experience of my life.

"Claire? Are you there?" I was brought back to reality at the sound of Charlotte's voice.

"Sorry, I was just looking at stuff on my phone. So, what's the score?"

"5-4. We're winning," she said happily, clapping her hands together.

"Ok, I gotta watch this."

I focused my attention back on the game for the remaining two innings. At the end, the Padres swept the crowd, defeating the Yankees by a score of 8-5. Everyone was up on their feet, whistling and cheering.

It'd been a great way to end the night.

I got home at around ten and headed upstairs to my bedroom. Derek was probably still at work. I would wait for him, but I was just so sleepy right now.

After changing into a tank top and shorts, I brushed my teeth then climbed into bed, letting my dreams take me.

***

_"_ _Hey, Claire, do you know where we're going?", Nick asked me._

_We were driving around at night in his car somewhere out in the open. There weren't any trees or houses, just empty land._

_"Hold on, let me check the map again," I replied, turning the flashlight back on._

_"I'm pretty sure your aunt doesn't live anywhere near here."_

_"I know. Ugh, we're so lost," I groaned in frustration._

_Nick continued to drive as I inspected the map, trying to locate an exit so we could get back on the main road._

_Suddenly, t_ _he car jerked violently as we passed a giant pothole, and I accidentally dropped my flashlight._

_It rolled underneath Nick's seat, and he took his eyes off the road to reach down and grab it...just as another car was approaching us at seventy miles an hour._

_"Nick!", I screamed in horror, immediately grabbing the steering wheel._

_But it was too late._

_I heard the sound of tires screeching as we viciously collided head-on with the car in front of us. I tried calling out Nick's name, but nothing came out of my mouth. Slowly,_ _e_ _verything began to turn black..._

_***_

My eyes shot open and I immediately sat up in bed. My heart was beating rapidly in my chest as I reached up to touch my tear-stained face. 

I'd never had a dream about Nick that was this real and vivid before. I could still even imagine what it'd felt like driving past the pothole. I struggled to catch my breath then lay back down.

Nick's face had looked just like I'd remembered, his hazel eyes soft and kind. Before I knew it, I began to sob uncontrollably into my pillow. My heart longed for him, and there was nothing more I wanted than to see his face again, even if it was just for a moment.

I didn't even know how long I lay there crying when I heard the sound of my door opening. I glanced up to see my husband standing at the edge of my bed wearing a plain white tshirt and boxers. His face was contorted with worry.

"Claire, what's wrong?", he asked urgently, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"I-I can't tell you," I spoke quietly, my voice trembling.

"You know you can tell me anything. Was it a bad dream?"

I slowly nodded my head in response.

Derek lifted the blanket up, and to my utter surprise, crawled in next to me, holding me tight against his warm body as I continued to cry.

"Shh, it's ok. I'm right here," he comforted, wiping away my tears with his thumb.

"Do you remember that time you stood outside my room because you thought I was crying?", I mumbled into his chest.

"I do. You said that you had allergies or something, right?"

"I was lying to you," I confessed.

"What do you mean?", he asked, looking into my eyes.

"I  _was_  crying that night."

Derek's face was masked in deep concern as he stroked my cheek with the backs of his knuckles.

"Why?"

"If only I could tell you," I whispered as more tears spilled from my eyes.

"Claire, you  _need_ to tell me. Is there something going on that I don't know about?", he asked in a serious tone.

The fact was, I'd been carrying the weight of Nick's death in my heart for so long. Sooner or later, I'd have to tell someone to lessen the pain, and now was probably the time.

"My best friend passed away three years ago," I said quietly.

"Who was it?", Derek asked gently.

"His name was Nick Schneider. We were best friends ever since preschool, and h-he died in a car crash."

"Oh my god...Claire, I'm so sorry," he murmured, pulling my body closer to him as his muscular arms wrapped around me. His tshirt was stained with my tears, but he didn't seem to care.

"I loved him," I whispered in a barely audible tone.

"Say that again?"

"I loved him, Derek. More than you'll ever know."

I heard his sharp intake of breath, and he tilted my chin up so that I was staring into his eyes, his expression unreadable.

"Why didn't you tell me that before when I asked if you'd ever been in love?"

"I've never told anyone about Nick. You're the first person to know about him besides my family," I admitted.

"I'm guessing that he was in the dream you just had?"

"Yes," I replied, my voice cracking.

"Would it feel better if we talk about him for a while?", Derek suggested, brushing my hair away from my face.

"What do you wanna know?"

"Everything," he said eagerly.

I sighed heavily and composed myself before beginning to speak.

"Nick had always been my other half growing up. In fact, I spent most of my childhood over at his house. He was the sweetest guy you'd ever meet, with a heart as big as the ocean.

"We both played hockey all the way through high school, but for him, it was a passion, not just a sport. Ever since he was little, everyone had always said that he was born to play."

"Did he play in college, too?", Derek asked.

"Yes. He played his freshmen year at the University of Minnesota while I was at Stanford. His dream, though, was to play in the NHL. And guess what? At the draft three years ago, the Blackhawks selected him as their third overall pick."

"Wow, that's amazing. He must've been incredible," Derek remarked in awe. I nodded.

"I was so proud of him. Chicago had always been our favorite hockey team too, so that made it even better," I said.

"Oh, so you're a Hawks fan?", he asked.

"Yup. The first NHL game I'd ever been to was in Chicago with Nick, and so from that day on, they became my favorite team," I replied.

"I see. So, what happened to Nick then?"

My heart immediately sank as I remembered the tragic events following that draft. I'd hoped that I'd never have to relive them ever again, but I couldn't just leave Derek hanging. He deserved to know.

"The night that he was drafted, he went out with some close guy friends to celebrate. And on their way home, they were hit by a drunk driver," I said gravely with a traumatized look in my eyes.

"Oh my god...," Derek mumbled apologetically.

"Nick was the only one who didn't make it. He died in the hospital that night after we had confessed our love for each other just a few hours prior to the accident.

"He was only nineteen and had finally reached his dream....But it all got taken away from him," I finished, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Oh, Claire," Derek breathed, cradling me in his strong arms. I buried my face in his chest and completely broke down. The grief was just too unbearable, and I ended up crying my heart out.

My biggest fear of all was losing the people I cared about, and I prayed that I'd never have to go through it ever again. Now, I only had my mother and brother left back home and here, I had my husband. And I sure as hell didn't want to lose any of them.

"Pl-please don't ever leave me," I choked through my tears as I held onto Derek.

"Sweetheart, I'm never going anywhere. I can promise you that," he spoke with certainty, his eyes reflecting his tone.

I tried to control my breathing and wiped away my tears with the palm of my hand. Derek reached for the box of tissues on my nightstand and handed it to me.

"Thank you," I said quietly, sitting up to blow my nose.

"I can't believe you've kept this to yourself all these years."

"Me neither," I sighed heavily.

"Nick sure sounded like an amazing guy," Derek remarked with a sad smile.

"He was. You know, the night he passed away, one of the last things he had said was that he wanted me to keep his draft jersey. So I'd never forget him."

"Do you still have it?", he asked with a look of interest.

"Yeah. It's in a box under the bed," I replied.

"Wow. He meant a lot to you, huh?"

"He was my world." My lip began to quiver, and I forced myself to not cry again.

I lay back down on the bed, and Derek offered to go throw my tissues away. When he came back, I automatically scooted over to make room for him.

"Do you want me to stay here with you tonight?", he asked.

"Please," I whispered, nearly pleading. There was no way I could stand to be alone right now.

I felt the bed dip as Derek climbed in next to me, draping the covers over both of us.

"Are you ok now?" Concern etched on his face as his eyes searched mine to see if he could determine how I was feeling.

"Yes," I responded quietly, attempting to smile.

Derek pulled me close to him and I rested my head on his chest, hearing the steady sound of his heartbeat as I draped my arm around his stomach. He tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear then looked down at me.

"Good night, Claire," he said, his beautiful blue eyes twinkling as a smile formed on his perfectly structured lips.

"Good night, Derek," I whispered.

And for the first time ever, I fell asleep in the comfort of my husband's arms.

 


	17. Closer

 

My eyes fluttered open at the feeling of the cool, ocean breeze as it blew through my hair, slightly tickling my face. I brushed a strand away with my hand then heard a low groan coming from behind me.

"Go back to sleep," Derek mumbled, his warm breath fanning my neck.

I was lying on my side with my back facing him. His arm was slipped around my waist, pressing me to his firm chest.

 _Holy crap, we were practically spooning_ , I thought to myself as my body began to do all sorts of things. And I couldn't help the face-splitting grin that was forming on my lips either.

It was an indescribable feeling waking up next to my husband. I felt so content and safe in his arms. I'd never shared a bed with any guy before, not even Nick, so this was all new to me.

"No, I'm already awake." I sighed, stretching both of my arms before turning around so that I was facing Derek.

His dark brown hair was all tousled up, making him look even sexier. I suddenly had an urge to run my fingers through it, just to see if it was as soft as it looked.

_Ok, now I was just being plain creepy._

Moments later, Derek's eyes finally opened and he gave me a swoon-worthy smile, revealing his perfectly straight, white teeth.

"Good morning," he said.

_Damn, he had a sexy morning voice._

"Did you sleep well?", I asked. He nodded in response.

"You know, I think that was the best time I'd ever slept in months," he remarked, propping himself up on one elbow as he gazed down at me.

"Me too," I agreed.

"That's good. Oh, and I forgot to ask you about how the Padres game went last night. Did they win?"

"Yup. Charlotte was beyond ecstatic," I said, laughing lightly.

"And what about you?"

"I was happy, too. I've never really been a fan of baseball, though," I replied.

"Why not? It's probably one of my favorite sports besides football."

"There isn't any action. It's just so...boring."

Derek looked at me like I was some foreign ape from outer space and began to shake his head in mock disapproval.

"You don't know what you're talking about," he chided. I playfully rolled my eyes at him.

"Oh puh-lease, hockey games are so much better."

"Of course you'd say that. What is it with you Minnesotans and your hockey obsessions?", he teased. I pretended to clear my throat before speaking.

"Well first of all, we  _are_ the State of Hockey. And second, hockey is the greatest sport ever known to mankind. It requires a lot of skill, but man is it fun to play, especially when you get to be center like me."

Derek had a bemused expression on his face as he stared intently at me.

"When's the last time you went to an NHL game?"

"Three years ago."

" _That_  long?" Derek's eyes widened in utter surprise. I slowly nodded my head.

"Yeah, it was two weeks before Nick's death. He's the reason I don't go to hockey games anymore. I'm afraid that if I step foot inside any ice rink, it'd bring back too many sad memories.

"You know, he was also the one that had encouraged me to play in the first place," I said quietly, feeling the familiar ache in my chest that I knew all too well.

Derek furrowed his brows in worry and reached out to touch my chin, lifting it up so that our eyes made contact.

"Claire, you have no idea how much it hurts me to see you like this. I know it's tough to lose someone you love, but I'll help you get through it.

"And who knows how long it'll take? But just promise me that you'll never keep all the pain and sadness to yourself. I'm always here to talk if you need me, ok?", he spoke gently.

"Ok," I whispered, burying my face in his chest as I wrapped my arms around him.

He hugged me back, brushing his lips against my hair, and we just lay there like that, all curled up in each other's bodies.

Eventually, I glanced over at my alarm clock and saw that it was only eight-thirty. I still had plenty of time to go jogging before it got too sunny.

"I'm gonna get up now," I said to Derek as I felt him slide his arms off of me.

"You going for a jog?", he asked.

"Yeah. Do you wanna come, too?"

"Sure. I haven't ran in quite a while, so this should be interesting," he replied with a lopsided grin.

We both got out of bed and Derek went back to his own room to change. It wasn't quite that warm this morning, so I decided to put on a pair of black Under Armour leggings and my favorite hot pink Lululemon zip-up hoodie.

I tied my hair up in a ponytail after brushing my teeth then headed downstairs to grab two bottles of water. Derek was already waiting in the garage when I got there, wearing a pair of athletic shorts and a gray Nike hoodie.

"Do you wanna drive over to La Jolla or run in the neighborhood?", he asked.

"Ooh, La Jolla  _does_ sound pretty nice right now."

"We'll go there then. And you know what else is nice?"

"What?"

"Your leggings. You've got a pretty impressive ass," he said with a smirk, and indeed, his eyes were glued to my behind.

"Ugh, you perv!", I scolded, slapping his shoulder. But inside, I could feel my inner goddess beaming.

"You have no idea, babe. Now come on, let's go."

_What the hell was that supposed to mean? And did he just call me 'babe'?_

Instead of getting into the Range Rover like we normally would, Derek walked over to the other side of the garage where his sleek silver BMW i8 was parked.

He unlocked the doors, and they swung upward while I just stood there gaping with unblinking eyes.

_Holy shit, that was so cool._

I'd never ridden inside his BMW before, but it hands down had to be one of the hottest sports cars I'd ever seen. Both sides of the exterior had a thin blue streak near the bottom, giving it a signature look.

I couldn't even begin to imagine how much it had cost- definitely over a hundred grand at least.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Hop in," I heard Derek say.

I couldn't help but let out a little squeal as I climbed into the passenger seat, my eyes roaming over every inch of the luxurious interior. It was practically a sex god on wheels.

 _Just like your husband- only he doesn't have wheels_ , my subconscious chimed in. I immediately dismissed it.

Derek pressed the 'start' button and the car roared to life. Before I knew it, we were speeding on I-5 with the windows all the down and the radio blasting. I leaned back in the plush leather seat and inhaled the fresh California air. 

_Man, this was the life._

"Having fun over there?", Derek asked cheerfully.

"You bet. God, I love this car so much," I sighed.

"I know right?" He grinned.

Derek pressed down further on the accelerator, and that's when I began to feel on edge. We were  _really_  moving now. Out of curiosity, I glanced over at the speedometer, and my eyes immediately bulged open.

"You're going ninety miles an hour?!", I exclaimed in horror.

"Do you have a problem with that?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Yes! The speed limit is only seventy!"

Derek rolled his eyes and then began to slow down.

"There, you happy now?"

I huffed, crossing my arms in front of my chest as I glared at him.

"You could've been pulled over by a cop or worse, we could've gotten into a fucking accident!"

_Was my husband honestly that stupid?_

At the mention of the word, 'accident', Derek's face instantly grew serious, and he looked over at me apologetically.

"I'm sorry, Claire," he mumbled, resting his hand on my thigh.

"It's fine," I said with a heavy sigh.

I placed my hand on top of his and he interlaced our fingers. The gesture made me calm down, and I managed to give him a small smile.

A couple minutes later, we arrived at La Jolla. Everyone that was either driving or walking past us paused to catch a glimpse of Derek's insane car.

He was probably used to getting that type of attention wherever he went. I, on the other hand, preferred to avoid the spotlight as much as possible. But ever since I became his wife, that definitely hadn't been the easiest thing to do.

After driving around for a bit, Derek found a spot to park the car and then we headed down to the beach. The sound of the waves crashing against the rocks filled the air, getting louder as the wind began to pick up.

While we were running, I saw a bride and groom up ahead taking wedding pictures by the shore. The seagulls were flying all around them as the palm trees swayed back and forth in the distance. It was absolutely beautiful.

Derek was also looking at them as well, and we both decided to stop to catch our breaths for a moment.

"Man, that was a good workout," I remarked breathlessly, wiping off the sweat from my face.

"Yeah. How much did we run?" Derek was bent over with his hands on his knees, his breath coming out in pants.

"Three miles."

"Damn, that's a lot."

He took his hoodie off and threw it over his shoulder, directing his attention to the newlywed couple as he continued to stare at them with a wistful expression on his face.

"Do you remember what our wedding was like?", he asked.

"Not really."

I didn't want to tell my husband that all I remembered that day was how angry and upset I'd felt knowing that I had to spend the rest of my life with him. He'd been a complete stranger to me back then.

At the hotel reception, I'd avoided talking to him as much as I could, which had been easy to do since he hadn't paid any attention to me in the first place.

Like other brides, I got to wear a stunning white dress that day and I'd felt like the most beautiful woman on earth.

However, what separated me from them was that the fact that they were happy and in love with their groom. Unlike me, who had despised my husband and everything about him with a burning passion.

But now, I could feel myself growing closer to Derek. He was slowly getting under my skin, and I bet that with time, I'd maybe even begin to like him.


	18. A Wounded Past

 

Derek and I were sitting at Richard Walker's Pancake house having breakfast after our long run. Like always, I had ordered a giant plate of apple pancakes.

"I get why you and Charlotte go here all the time now. This tastes like heaven in my mouth," he remarked.

"I bet. It sure looks good," I said, practically drooling at the sight of the Santa Fe omelet on his plate.

"Do you want to try some?", he offered. I eagerly nodded my head.

Derek held his fork up, and I opened my mouth as he fed me a piece of the omelet. I moaned in delight, letting my senses indulge in the delicious taste of it.

"Holy shit, that is one good omelet," I commented.

"You can have some more if you want."

"No, that's alright."

I didn't want my husband to think that I was a pig. I mean, I've already eaten way more than him.

When we were finished with our food, the waitress came back to give us the bill. Ever since Derek first walked into the restaurant, she hadn't been able to take her eyes off of him. I didn't blame her. After all, my husband  _was_  quite the sight for any woman.

On our way home, we stopped by his office downtown so he could pick up some papers that he needed to fill out for Monday. He truly was a busy guy. Even on weekends, he'd have work to do.

That night, I'd just finished taking a shower while Derek was in his room doing whatever it was he normally did in there. I snuggled under my blanket and watched some TV since I wasn't quite sleepy yet.

When it started to get late, I decided to go to bed. I attempted to fall asleep, but for some reason, I just couldn't. It was weird because my body was truly craving sleep right now, too.

I kept tossing and turning and eventually, I got up and went to stand outside on my balcony for a little bit. Maybe it was fresh air that I needed.

What I enjoyed most about living high up on the mountain was the stunning view I had of everything below.

Lights from neighboring houses illuminated the otherwise dark valley and hills. In the distance, I could make out downtown San Diego's tall, lit-up buildings and the outline of Coronado Bridge. The ocean was calm and tranquil, reflecting the stars above as they twinkled brightly in the night sky.

_I could stay out here forever if I had to..._

A couple minutes later, it began to get slightly chilly so I headed back inside. After shutting the balcony door completely, I walked over to my bed, adjusting the pillows to see if that'd help me to fall asleep before lying back down.

An hour passed and I was still wide awake. My bed seemed strangely empty all of a sudden, and I felt this longing in my chest that I couldn't quite describe.

I realized then that it was Derek I needed. The memories of last night when he was holding me in his arms as he sought to comfort me flooded my mind, and at that moment, I longed to feel his presence next to me. That was the only way I could fall asleep.

I got out of bed and walked to my husband's room at the other end of the hall. His light turned off right when I was about to knock on the door, which he had left ajar.

"Claire, is that you?", his voice called out.

_Crap, he'd heard me._

I slowly opened the door the rest of the way and stepped inside Derek's room. He was lying on his bed wearing nothing but a pair of boxers.

"Um, can I sleep here tonight?", I mumbled timidly.

"Why?", he asked, raising an eyebrow.

_Shit!_

"Um...,"

I could feel my cheeks start to burn, and I mentally scolded myself for even coming in here. What was I thinking?

"I'm just messing with you," Derek said with a teasing smile, patting the empty space next to him.

I breathed a sigh of relief and crawled into his bed. He pulled me close to his chest, the scent of his aftershave and musk-scented body wash intoxicating my senses.

_God, he smelled so good._

"You should probably just sleep here with me from now on. I get lonely sometimes," Derek mumbled as he nuzzled my hair, inhaling deeply.

"I do too," I admitted, feeling my cheeks flush.

"And besides, aren't husbands and wives supposed to share the same bed?"

"Um...I guess," I said dumbly. I heard him chuckle.

He looked down at me and smiled before placing a kiss on the tip of my nose. I immediately felt my insides churning oh-so-sweetly as I nestled closer to his chest.

"Mmm, you feel so soft and cuddly," Derek breathed.

"I do?"

"Mm-hmm. Like a teddy bear."

His face suddenly lit up like a child that had just received their Christmas presents.

"What's the matter?", I asked him.

"Nothing. I just came up with the greatest nickname for you," he replied, his blue eyes sparkling.

"Oh dear...,"

"Claire-Bear. Because your name is Claire and you're cuddly like a teddy bear," he said with a huge grin, and I laughed at my husband's adorable and kiddish behavior.

"How cute."

We both lay there in silence, and I slowly began drifting off to sleep when the sound of Derek's voice woke me back up.

"What's your family like?"

I glanced up at him and saw that he was still wide awake. His eyes didn't look the least bit tired, which was definitely not the case for me. But if he wanted to talk, then I guessed I would, too.

"Well, you already know that I have a mother and older brother...and a father that passed away."

"Yeah. I'm sorry about his loss by the way," Derek said sympathetically.

"It's ok."

"I wanna know more about your father. I've met him on several of my business trips in the past, and he seemed like a very interesting man."

"Well, first of all, he was born and raised in Australia," I began.

"Yeah, I could definitely tell by his accent," Derek remarked as his fingers played with my hair. "Have you been there before?"

"Yes. It's a very lovely country."

"I bet. Anyways, continue."

"Alright. So, the year my father graduated from college, he went to visit California with a few of his closest friends. And there, he met my mother, Elizabeth, who was still studying for her master's at UCSD. 'It was love at first sight', she had told me.

"When my dad flew back to Australia, he kept in touch with her through phone calls, and they even wrote letters to each other."

"What happened then?", Derek asked, his eyes lighting up with pure interest.

"Once my mother finished college, she flew over to Australia to stay with him for a couple of months. During that time, he proposed to her, and they had a huge wedding in Melbourne.

"Eventually, my mother became homesick and couldn't stand to be away from her family that lived here in the US. So, you know what my father did then?"

"Did he move to California to be with her?", Derek hinted.

"Yes. He loved her so much that he was willing to live halfway across the world from his parents," I replied.

"Wow." He was in utter awe.

"I know right? I always hoped that one day, someone would love me as much as my dad loved my mother."

"But anyways, he got a job right away here in San Diego and soon, my brother was born. Then two years later, they had me. However, we had to move to Minnesota once I turned three because of my dad's work."

"Oh, I see," Derek remarked.

"His boss told him that he had the potential to start his own business. So he did. And who knew it'd ever become this huge?

"But he passed away before he could even see the grand opening of his newest hotel in London. It had been one of his biggest achievements, too," I said, feeling my eyes begin to water.

"I remember hearing about Mark's death. Ashley was the one that had told me. She'd been watching the news. But man, the fact that he died on Christmas? That's terrible," Derek spoke.

"I know. I became a total mess. I-I even thought about taking my own life that night." My voice was shaking and barely reached a whisper.

"I felt like I had nothing else to live for. Nick was gone, and now my father, too. But I kept reminding myself that I still had my mom and brother. I couldn't just leave when they needed me to be there with them after a tragedy like that," I said.

Derek had a solemn expression on his face once I'd finished talking, and he cupped his hand under my chin as I looked into his sad blue eyes.

"How could God put you through all of that? No one ever deserves to suffer like this, especially you, Claire," he spoke quietly.

"I guess you just have to accept whatever life throws at you," I sighed deeply.

"You're a tough woman, you know that?" He was gazing at me in pure admiration. I smiled at him and ran my fingers through his thick, dark hair.

 _Holy crap, it was softer than I even imagined_.

"Enough about me. So, what's your family like?", I asked, propping myself up on one elbow. Hopefully, Derek could change the mood of our conversation.

His face suddenly grew tense and he exhaled sharply.

"Well for one thing, my parents didn't love each other like yours did."

_Uh-oh, this wasn't going to be a happy story._

"What do you mean?"

"Can't we talk about this some other time?" Derek seemed hesitant for some reason.

"No. I already told you everything about my family. It's only fair if you do the same," I insisted.

"My family isn't perfect like you probably think it is," he murmured, his lips pressed in a hard line.

"I don't care, Derek. Just go on."

"Fine....You know my mother, right?"

"Ah, Heather. I absolutely  _adore_  her." My voice was laced with sarcasm. Derek ignored my comment and continued.

"Back when I was growing up, she'd always go out and get drunk with a bunch of her girlfriends. And when she came home, she'd say the cruelest things to me and my dad.

"I don't even remember how many times I encountered her sleeping with these strangers in the bedroom that she and my dad shared. It seemed like she'd bring home a different guy every night. My dad found out eventually though, and it tore him apart."

"Oh my god...," I gasped in shock, my mouth twisting into a grimace.

"Although he was constantly at work, my father had always been more of a mother to me than Heather ever was. She treated the both of us like crap. I mean, can you believe that during the eighteen years I lived with her, she never even told me once that she loved me?

"Sometimes, I wished that I had a sibling, but thinking back to my childhood, I'm glad I didn't. I wouldn't want them to go through what I had to."

Derek frowned and I could see the pain in his eyes. I was at a complete loss for words as my heart began to ache for him and his father. I felt so sorry for the both of them.

Who knew Heather used to be like that? And god, just thinking about her sleeping with a bunch of guys while her husband and son were still around made me feel sick.

"Was she always like that?", I asked.

"No. Later on in life, she became mentally unstable and suffered from major depression. She had to see a psychologist for a long period of time, and fortunately, she's gotten better since then.

"But to this day, my mom still hates herself for being a terrible wife and mother and everything else she's done in the past."

"Why didn't your father ever divorce her?", I remarked. Derek sighed.

"He had hope for their relationship and that one day, she'd become a good person. Well luckily, she is now, except for the fact that she still tends to be really rude.

"Usually, my father and I just let her say whatever she wants because we don't want her to feel more ashamed than she already is of herself."

Derek gave me a knowing glance and at that moment, it clicked in my brain why he'd said that his mother was sensitive that night when we were having dinner. She literally  _was_. Everything made perfect sense now.

"You know, my whole life, all I've tried to do is show my mom that I didn't need her from the start in order to become successful.

"She was always calling me a failure back then. I worked so hard to build up my career, just to prove her wrong. And I wanted her to be proud of me, too," Derek said as his eyes gazed up at the ceiling.

"I guarantee you that she's extremely proud of you. I mean, look at you, you've managed to become a multimillionaire at the age of twenty-four," I remarked, lying back down next to him.

We were both silent, and I could feel the calm breeze blowing through the balcony window. It felt like an eternity until Derek finally spoke again.

"I don't know why I'm always saying that my mom wasn't much of a wife to my father when there's me. Hell, I've barely even acted like a husband ever since we got married.

"But believe me, Claire, I'm trying. I want to be someone that you can trust and who'll always be there for you. I just need you to give me a chance to show you that I  _can_  be the husband that you deserve." His tone was thick with remorse.

"Oh, Derek, of course I will," I breathed as I reached out to smooth the wrinkles on his forehead.

He grabbed my hand and kissed it before wrapping his arms around my body, pulling me tight against his bare chest.

"You have no idea how thankful I am that you didn't take away your life that night," Derek whispered, his blue eyes gazing intensely into my brown ones.

"Why is that?"

"I wouldn't have gotten to be with you like we are right now."

_Ok, Derek was seriously going to make me cry._

I couldn't form any words in my head at that moment, so instead, I kissed him tenderly on the cheek. He exhaled deeply as I let my lips linger on his face for a moment before backing away.

"We should probably go to sleep now. It's really late," I murmured, closing my eyes.

"Ok."

Derek let out a massive yawn and then soon, the both of us drifted into a peaceful sleep.

I had always thought that I knew exactly the type of person my husband was, but until tonight, I'd had no idea that underneath all of the wealth, power, and good looks, lay a man with a wounded past, whose mother had failed to provide him with the love and affection that every child deserved. 

The fact that Derek and I had been able to open up to each other about the rough events we've both been through in our lives had made me realize one thing- our relationship was finally deepening.

 


	19. Golfing Adventures

 

Labor Day weekend came right around the corner. Derek's parents were hosting their annual charity golf event to raise awareness for multiple sclerosis- an autoimmune disease that affected the central nervous system.

The event was held at their private country club over in La Jolla. It had an exceptional landscape, with lush green grass, colorful assortments of flowers, and a giant marble fountain at the front entrance. There were several doctors and businessmen present that were well-known all throughout California.

I was socializing with some of the wives in the banquet hall while our husbands were outside golfing. Ashley was also here, but I hadn't seen her yet. For all I cared, she could probably be flirting with Derek right now.

"Claire!", I heard someone call.

I turned my head around to see none other than Heather Weston walking towards me. I frowned but then remembered what my husband had told me about everything she'd been through.

 _Just be patient with her_ , my subconscious assured.

"Oh, hi, Heather! How are you?", I greeted with a forced smile plastered on my face.

"I'm great, darling," she replied, giving me a kiss on both cheeks.

I waited for her to make a rude comment about my strapless white dress, but to my utter relief, she didn't.

"This is a lovely event you've put on. The golf course looks beautiful," I complimented.

"Thank you. Do you play?"

"Golf? No, I don't. I never really had an interest in it."

"That sounds like me. Derek and his father love it, though," she said with a smile.

"I can see that. They've both been outside for quite a while."

"No surprise there. Well, I'm going to go check on everyone else. Try the clam chowder. It's really good," she recommended, pointing to the large bowl on my table.

"I will. Bye, Heather."

I gave her a hug and then she headed towards the table next to mine. My stomach was so full, but the clam chowder sure looked tempting. Chelsea, one of the women sitting with me, also had her eyes on it.

"Are you going to try some?", she asked.

"I don't know. I mean, I  _am_  pretty full, but maybe a little bit wouldn't hurt. Are you?"

"Well, since my husband isn't here to see how much I've eaten already, why not?"

Chelsea gave me a goofy grin, and I couldn't help but laugh. I guessed I wasn't the only food addict at this table.

I ladled a small serving of the chowder into my bowl and just as I was about to put the spoon into my mouth, I felt a pair of hands on my shoulders.

My body immediately tensed, and I let out a high-pitched squeal. Chelsea was giggling at my reaction and greeted whoever it was behind me with a smile.

"Missed me?", Derek murmured, placing a kiss on the top of my head. I breathed a sigh of relief.

"You freaking scared the hell out of me!", I scolded, turning around in my seat to face him. He smiled crookedly.

"Sorry, babe. Anyways, are you done eating yet?"

"Well, I was gonna try some of this soup, but-,"

"Good. Let's go outside now, shall we?", he interrupted, grabbing my arm.

I had no choice but to go with him as he dragged me away from my precious clam chowder. I stared at it with longing eyes until it finally disappeared from my sight.

"Where are we going?", I asked Derek.

"To the golf course. I challenged Keith to a round, and I want you to watch me," he replied with a broad smile.

"But I don't know anything about golf."

"That's ok. The rules are kind of confusing, but you don't have to know them. I'll just teach you a few basic strokes afterwards," he offered, throwing his arm over my shoulder as he pulled me closer to his side.

"Alright then."

When we got to the golf course, my eyes widened in fascination at how large it was and the breathtaking scenery. There were plenty of trees and higher up near the cliff, I could see the blue waters of La Jolla Beach.

A ton of people had showed up to watch Derek and his colleague play, including Ashley. She was standing with Heather by the fountain, and the two of them were having a conversation, laughing and giggling like schoolgirls.

_No doubt Derek's mother still wished that his secretary was her daughter-in-law._

"Is everything alright?", Derek asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Huh? Oh, I'm fine. Good luck," I said with a smile.

"Thanks."

Once he left, I went to go stand with Chelsea and some of the other women I'd met earlier. She introduced me to her husband, Trent, who worked for Derek's company as the human resources manager.

I heard James announce the match-up between Derek and Keith through the microphone and then everyone focused their attention onto the golf course.

Keith was the first one up. To be honest, I had no idea what was going on. All I knew about golf was that you had to try to hit the ball into a series of holes using the fewest number of strokes.

When Derek's turn finally came, I went to go stand where I could see him clearly. He took a swing at the ball with his driver and then watched as it soared before landing on the grass somewhere about two-hundred yards away.

It felt like an eternity until they were down to the eighteenth and final hole. Derek's eyes were narrowed in concentration as he stroked his chin. Meanwhile, his other hand was absently twirling the iron club.

My favorite part about this match so far had to be seeing him take long-distance shots. The way his upper body and hips rotated with each swing of the driver had me ogling him like some love-sick woman.

_He seriously made golf look so sexy_ _._

Before Derek made his final attempt to sink the ball into the hole, he glanced in my direction and gave me a wink. With one gentle tap using his putter, the ball rolled smoothly in.

Everyone began clapping and cheering, and he shook hands with Keith, whom he'd defeated. A smug smile formed on his lips as he walked towards me, holding his baseball cap in one hand.

With the blue short-sleeved polo and khaki shorts he had on, it looked like he'd appeared right out of the cover of  _Sports Illustrated's_  golf edition magazine.

"Well, how'd I do?", he asked.

"You played like a pro," I said, wrapping my arms around his waist.

"That sounds nice. Now, I believe I promised that I'd teach you some basic strokes?" His eyes were gleaming with excitement as he placed his cap on top of my head.

"You did? I don't remember," I lied.

_God knows I didn't want to embarrass myself in front of everyone._

"Yeah, I'm positive I did. Let's go."

Derek walked back onto the golf course, and I reluctantly followed him. He grabbed a putter from the bag and handed it to me as we made our way towards the green.

"Is real golf anything like Wii golf?", I asked him.

"I guess you'll have to see for yourself," he said with a laugh.

Derek taught me how to hold the putter and which way to angle my body, placing his hands on my hips. I mentally calculated the force of my hit in order to sink the ball into the hole.

I was about to take a shot when I heard a female voice calling Derek's name. I turned around and saw Ashley approaching us. She was wearing a simple light pink dress and looked as gorgeous as ever.

_Why couldn't I be her?_

"You played so well. I had a feeling you'd beat Keith," she said, touching his arm.

"He's good, too. I was just lucky."

"Oh, don't be so modest. What are you guys up to?", she inquired, briefly glancing in my direction.

"I'm teaching Claire how to golf," Derek replied, grinning at me.

"Ah. You know, I remember the day you taught _me_  how to play at that one golf course near our high school."

"Yeah. You learned pretty fast."

"Well, that's because I had  _you_  for a teacher," she said flirtatiously, pointing a finger at his chest.

She pressed herself against Derek, giving him an ample view of her cleavage, and he gulped nervously, directing his gaze upward so that he was looking at her face instead.

"Um, Ash-,"

"And don't forget the whole golf cart incident. Just think how embarrassing it'd be if someone had caught us," she mumbled quietly, but enough for me to hear every single word before she stepped back from him with a lascivious smirk on her lips.

_I couldn't believe this woman..._

Derek was absolutely mortified, and his face turned bright red as he stood there gaping at Ashley in utter disbelief, looking extremely uncomfortable. He was too shocked to even utter a response.

_Did I_ _**want** _ _to hear about how she and my husband fucked in the back of a golf cart? Quite frankly, no! So she might as well just shut her freaking mouth_ _._

I crossed my arms in front of my chest, glaring at Ashley with pure hostility and disgust. I could feel my jaw tighten as my lips compressed into a thin line.

__I_ _ **_really_ ** _didn't like her._

"Well, I have to go now. I'll see you at work tomorrow," Ashley said cheerfully, completely oblivious to what was going on.

She flashed Derek a dazzling smile then walked towards the parking lot without saying a word to me. I had a feeling that my dislike for her was mutual. But as long as she didn't get in the way of my husband and I, I couldn't care less about her.

"So...where were we?", Derek spoke, pretending to clear his throat as he awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck.

"You two seriously had sex in the back of a golf cart?", I blurted, raising an eyebrow.

"Sorta...," he admitted sheepishly.

"Spare me the details," I muttered under my breath, lifting a hand up.

"I don't even know why she brought that up. She was being totally inappropriate."

_Indeed she was._

"Beats me," I scoffed. "Probably thought she could make me jealous or something."

"Can we just get back to golfing? This is getting really awkward," Derek remarked with a flustered expression, biting his bottom lip.

"I don't know...I'm kind of enjoying seeing  _the_  CEO of Weston Hotel Group all embarrassed and losing his cool," I said with a wicked smirk.

It was true, he honestly looked so adorable right now. And his cheeks still hadn't returned to their normal color yet either.

"Claire...," he warned.

"Fine, let's golf."

"Thank god," he sighed in relief.

Unfortunately for my husband, I was feeling especially mischievous at that moment, and for some reason, I didn't want this conversation to end.

_Eh, maybe I'll bug him some more._

"You should've seen the look on your face, though, after she said that. It was absolutely priceless."

"Just drop it," Derek ordered in an exasperated tone.

"But I like messing with you," I said innocently.

He rolled his eyes, keeping a straight face, but at the same time was trying to suppress the smile forming on his lips.

"We're not going to talk about this all day, are we?"

"Do you want to?"

"Hell no!", he exclaimed.

I couldn't help but laugh. Giving Derek a hard time sure was entertaining, but he'd probably had enough already. I didn't want to push him  _too_  far.

"Let's go back to golfing now, shall we?"

"Are you going to bring up Ashley?" He looked skeptical.

"Nope."

And to his utter relief, I was serious this time.

After practicing several strokes with the putter and wedge, most of which had resulted in me sinking the ball into the hole, we both got in the golf cart and Derek drove us to the next hole so I could work on my long-distance swings.

He told me which direction to aim with the driver then stepped back to watch. I knew that I had to strike the ball hard because the target was a couple hundred yards away.

"Here goes nothing," I mumbled to myself.

I swung my arms back as far as I could and to my surprise, I felt the driver make contact with something behind me.

"Fuck!", I heard Derek cry out.

I immediately dropped my club and spun around to see him jumping wildly as he clutched his manhood, his face contorted in pain.

"Oh my god, are you ok?", I asked him worriedly.

"You freaking wacked my balls!", he exclaimed.

"Well, you should've stood back further."

"I didn't know you'd lift your club that high up!", he protested.

"Oops..." My cheeks reddened in embarrassment.

_Thank god no one was around to see us._

"Man, you're vicious with a driver."

"Can I try again?", I asked him. His eyes widened in horror.

"Oh heck, no. I don't wanna turn into a man without a penis." I couldn't help but giggle.

"But I was doing so good. Please, Derek?", I pleaded, pretending to pout my lips. And just like I'd hoped, he gave in.

"Fine. I'm going to stand over there...where I'll be safe from you," he said, pointing his chin towards a tree that was a couple meters away from us.

"Ok. I'm sorry for hurting your pride and joy by the way."

"It's alright, baby." Derek chuckled softly, pulling me into his arms.

I gave him a peck on the cheek then turned on my heel, walking back to where my driver was. I picked it up and continued what I'd left off.

Eventually, after I'd learned how to use all the different clubs, I played against my husband. He went easy on me since I was barely even a beginner, but in the end, I still lost...terribly.

"You know, I think I'll just stay away from golf for a while," I remarked when we were walking back to the banquet hall.

"You'll get better with more practice. Trust me," Derek said with a smile.

"Hey, I know what would be interesting."

"What?", he asked.

"Teaching you how to play hockey."

"Oh god, don't even go there."

I laughed and took Derek's hand in mine as we strolled into the clubhouse. Heather and her husband were standing outside the banquet hall talking to an older couple. All four of them turned around when they saw us.

"Oh, there you are. Where have you been?", James asked.

"Outside. I taught Claire how to play golf," Derek replied.

"Well, it looks like you two had fun. You were out there for hours," Heather remarked with a smile.

"Yeah, we kind of lost track of time."

"Anyways, this is Dr. Sarah Nelson and her husband, William Nelson," she introduced, gesturing to the couple standing beside her.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Derek said, shaking both their hands. I did the same.

"Likewise. My, I still remember the day I delivered you in the hospital. And look at you now...such a handsome young man. I've heard a lot of wonderful things about your company," Dr. Nelson spoke in awe.

"Thank you. You've been keeping in contact with my parents?"

"Of course. We're very good friends. And I believe you're the Westons' daughter-in-law?", Dr. Nelson asked, directing her attention to me.

"Yes," I said shyly.

"A young lady as beautiful as you must be the envy of every girl in California," she commented with a warm smile. Her husband nodded in agreement, and I could feel my cheeks turning red.

Derek gave me a wink and wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me closer to his side. He coughed before beginning to speak.

"Well, Claire and I are probably gonna head home now before the traffic gets too bad."

_Thank god he was_ _saving us from having to get dragged into a longer conversation._

"Alright then. Drive safe," Heather said.

She and James hugged us both then they walked into the banquet room with Dr. Nelson and her husband. I found it interesting how she was the same doctor that had delivered my husband twenty-four years ago.

A smile formed on my lips as I imagined Derek as a baby. Even back then, I bet he was still handsome, but in a cute and adorable way.

"Guess what plans I have for us next weekend?", Derek asked when we were in his car driving back home.

"What?"

"I know we're both not kids anymore, but I was wondering if you wouldn't mind spending a day at SeaWorld. I haven't been there in years, and I really want to."

"Are you kidding me? That place is my life!  _No_ one is ever too old for SeaWorld."

"Sounds like a plan then," he said with a grin.

"You bet. I'll probably end up having a nightmare about killer whales in my sleep tonight."

I pretended to shudder. Those giant fish sure were fun to watch at shows, but I'd never dare to get into a fracas with one.

"You won't. It'll just be me you dream of," Derek reassured with a smirk.

"You wish." I playfully slapped his arm.

But it turned out he was partially correct because that night, I ended up dreaming about killer whales playing golf...and they used my husband as their club.

 


	20. When the Truth Hurts

 

I was walking around SeaWorld on a frantic search for my husband. He was supposed to meet me at the entrance of the Journey to Atlantis ride after using the bathroom, but it'd been over twenty minutes already, and he still hadn't showed up.

We were running out of time, too, because I really wanted to go on that roller coaster before the last Shamu show started, which was approximately an hour from now. It had always been my favorite ride here ever since I was little.

I easily could've called Derek by now to check up on where he was, but unfortunately, I'd forgotten my cell phone at home. At this rate, it'd probably take me hours to find him.

This place was huge, and it didn't help that there was especially a lot of people here today. After all, it  _was_ a Saturday.

With my ginormous Shamu stuffed animal tucked under my arm, I went looking for a pay phone. Derek had won it for me earlier after playing this one game where you had to shoot a series of small fish at specified targets. If it weren't for him, it would've taken me at least five tries.

_Why did he have to be so good at everything?_

To my relief, I spotted a pay phone across from one of the restrooms. I grabbed my drawstring bag and dug out my clutch that I'd left in there to search for some spare change.

A look of frustration crossed my face when I realized that all I had was a hundred-dollar bill. The young woman waiting behind me gently tapped my shoulder, and I turned around to face her.

"Is everything all right?", she asked.

"I need to call my husband, but I don't have any spare change," I replied.

"I might have some extra quarters. Let me check. And I don't know if it's just my imagination, but you look really familiar," she said as her green eyes scanned over my face.

"I'm Derek Weston's wife. You've probably seen me in one of the local newspapers." My cheeks began to flush slightly.

"Oh, I think I just saw him back there," she remarked, pointing to the nearest concession stand behind us.

"You did? Oh thank god, I've been looking everywhere for him." I sighed with relief.

"He's  _really_ handsome." She smiled shyly at me, blushing.

"Trust me, you're not the first person to say that."

"I bet."

"Well, see ya. And thanks for telling me where Derek is." I gave her a smile then ran towards the concession stand.

And indeed, my husband had just gotten out of the line after buying some popcorn and cotton candy. His eyes brightened when he saw me, and I stared at him in utter disbelief.

"Do you have any idea how long it took me to find you?", I demanded, placing my hands on my hips. He had an amused look on his face.

"I thought we agreed to meet at the Atlantis ride."

"I know that, but you freaking never showed up!", I said in an exasperated tone.

"I went to go buy some food we could snack on while waiting in line, but it took longer than I thought. Here, I got you more cotton candy."

Derek handed me the pink, fluffy treat and all traces of anger instantly vanished from my face as I squealed in delight. I'd had way too much already today, but I couldn't help it. Cotton candy was my life.

"You're the best, you know that?", I remarked happily.

"I aim to please, Mrs. Weston." His lips curled into a breathtaking smile, and I nearly swooned.

"Come on, we have to hurry. I really want to go on Atlantis," I said urgently, grabbing my husband by the arm. He chuckled and followed me as we ran to the other side of the large theme park.

I lost track of how many times I dropped my poor Shamu plush toy, so I opted to just drop by the parking lot on the way and leave it in our car.

Forty-five minutes later, we were approaching the last and final drop of the Journey to Atlantis roller coaster. I glanced over at Derek, and he was beaming with excitement. He looked his age right now- so young and carefree.

"Ready to get wet?", I asked him.

He nodded enthusiastically, and we both threw our arms in the air, plunging downwards as I felt the familiar adrenaline course through my veins.

I screamed when the water crashed all around us before the ride came to a gradual stop. My tshirt was fairly wet, but other than that, I was completely dry. Derek wiped off the water on his face with the hem of his tshirt, and then we quickly exited the car.

"Do you think we'll make it in time to see Shamu?", I asked anxiously.

"If we hurry," Derek responded, glancing down at his watch.

Once again, he and I had to run, weaving through crowds of people until we finally reached the stadium.

Fortunately, there were still a few empty seats left located in the Soak Zone. Anyone who sat there was guaranteed to get drenched, and that was exactly what I wanted.

The sun had already set so the stadium lights were turned on, illuminating the entire stage. It was slightly chilly, and I regretted not bringing a sweatshirt to wear over my top.

 _Just think how much colder it'll be once you're soaked in water,_ my subconscious reminded with an evil smirk.

Derek and I were surrounded by a bunch of little kids, all of them eager to catch a glimpse of the great Shamu. Their moms were either busy getting towels out for when they got wet or staring at my husband.

_Would I ever get used to this?_

Halfway through the show, Shamu came charging right towards us and splashed its tail, sending a massive wave into the air.

I braced myself for it and screamed when I felt the cold water crashing down on my body, drenching me from head to toe.

"Holy shit!", I heard Derek exclaim as he blinked water from his eyes.

"Shush, there's children here!", I admonished.

"Oops, I forgot."

He quickly turned around and apologized to the moms for his language, and all they did was blush and giggle, telling him that it was no big deal.

Just as I was about to grab a towel from my bag to dry off, Shamu sent another giant wave at us, and all of the kids shrieked at the top of their lungs.

"You sure this was a good idea?", Derek asked me.

"Yes! Who doesn't love getting wet?", I said with a smile. He shook his head in bemusement, and we focused our attention back to the stage.

By the time the show was over, I was soaked to the bone in cold water, feeling as numb as a statue.

My teeth were chattering, and I wrapped the towel tighter around myself as we made our way to the parking lot. It didn't help that there was a cool breeze either.

"Next time we sit in the Soak Zone, it'll be during the day when it's actually warm and sunny," Derek remarked in a serious tone.

His damp tshirt and shorts were stuck to his skin, dripping water all over the place. I probably looked like a total mess right now, but he was as hot as ever, especially with his wet hair. And the visible six-pack underneath his tshirt didn't go unnoticed either.

"I'm so c-c-cold," I stuttered.

Derek gazed down at me with concern and immediately pulled me close to his side, draping his large towel over the both of us.

"That better, baby?"

I nodded my head in response, and he tightened his hold on my waist, keeping me warm against his body.

When we approached the Range Rover, Derek paused to dry off my hair with his towel as I gazed up at his perfectly structured face, wondering how on earth this beautiful man had come to be my husband.

I let my eyes wander over his mesmerizing blue orbs, high cheekbones, and strong jaw before they finally landed on his lips.

"Is something wrong?", he asked, giving me a quizzical look.

"Huh? No," I replied in a distracted tone.

_Those full, plump lips_ _...God, I wanted to kiss them so bad._

"You sure?" he drawled, tilting my chin up so that we staring at each other, brown eyes to blue.

"What could possibly be wrong?"

Derek slowly ran his thumb across my bottom lip, causing my breathing to hitch as sparks ignited throughout my entire body. His eyes suddenly darkened, and he leaned in closer so that our noses were practically touching.

 _What are you waiting for? Kiss him already_ , my subconscious rang.

To my utter astonishment, Derek began to brush his soft lips against mine before full-on kissing me as he held my face in his hands.

I could feel my heart pounding in my chest as I tangled my fingers in his hair, pulling him even closer to me. My eyes were closed and I relished the moment, forgetting about everything else.

He gently tugged at my bottom lip with his teeth, and I let out a quiet moan, which gave him the perfect opportunity to slide his tongue into my mouth. 

 _Holy shit,_  I thought as our tongues danced with each other. He tasted like peppermint, and I savored every inch of his sweet mouth as my arms encircled around his neck.

Eventually, we both became breathless and he broke our kiss, letting his forehead rest against mine. My heart was still racing as I gasped for air.

Above us, the stars were twinkling brightly in the night sky. It felt so romantic, even if we  _were_  standing in the middle of a parking lot at SeaWorld.

"Is anyone here?", I breathed, glancing around.

"Nope. It's just you and me, Claire-Bear. For now," Derek replied with a smile, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. I blushed.

"Let's go home."

"As you wish."

He gave me one last peck on the lips and then opened the passenger door, motioning for me to go in.

The whole car ride home, I was beaming with joy as I replayed my kiss with Derek. Talk about a great way to have ended such a fantastic day.

Not only had that been our first real kiss ever since we got married, but it was also  _my_  first kiss. I wasn't planning on telling him, though.

Maybe someday...

***

"Ugh, I seriously wish I could buy all of these," Charlotte commented as we were looking through different types of curtains at  _Bed Bath and Beyond_.

"I know. It's so hard to just pick just one set."

She and Elliot had recently moved in together last week. They bought a house not too far from mine just on the other side of town.

Earlier today, we saw a movie and had lunch. Now, we were spending the rest of our time together going shopping for some room decor.

When I woke up this morning, I'd been so relieved that I wasn't sick like how I had expected to be after going to SeaWorld yesterday. The same went for Derek, too.

I could still remember the taste of his lips and for the second time that day, my thoughts drifted back to our amazing kiss. Since then, I'd been feeling on top of the world. Nothing could spoil my mood.

"You know, you seem especially happy today. Did Mr. Sexy-Pants give it to you last night?", Charlotte asked, suggestively raising an eyebrow. My eyes widened in horror.

"No! Nothing like that happened."

"Well, then what is it? I'm your best friend, Claire. I can tell how you're feeling just by looking at you," she said, crossing her arms in front of her chest as she stared at me.

"Derek and I kissed yesterday," I mumbled, feeling my cheeks glow red as I toyed with the wedding ring on my finger.

Charlotte's jaw dropped and she just stood there blinking, giving me the 'are you for real?' look.

"That's it?" Her voice was flat.

"It was the first time he ever kissed me on the lips."

" _Seriously_? You had to wait nine freaking months just to get a kiss from him?"

"It was so worth it though," I said with a dreamy sigh.

Charlotte smiled and then burst into a giggling fit. I watched as she picked out a pair of cream-colored curtains before making her way to the cash register.

"What's so funny?", I asked her.

"You. It's obvious, Claire. You're falling for him. Hard."

My mind went completely blank at her words.

_Could she possibly be right?_ _**Was** _ _I falling for Derek?_

"Well, I should probably head home now. Remember, you're always welcomed to come over anytime," Charlotte said once she'd made her purchase, giving me a hug.

"Ok. See you later, Char."

Once she disappeared from my sight, I walked towards my car and unlocked it, getting inside. I dismissed the questions regarding Derek that were stirring in my head and started the engine.

On the way home, I decided to stop by the grocery store to buy a few ingredients for the chicken parmesan I was planning on making for dinner tonight.

It was nearly six which meant that the store would be closing soon. Luckily, it only took me less than five minutes to find everything that I needed.

When I walked out to the parking lot, I immediately spotted a familiar head of dirty-blonde hair, and right away I knew who it was. From her formal stride, to the low-cut top she wore, it could only be one person.

Ashley.

Her eyes instantly met mine, and she gave me a quick wave before strolling in my direction.

"Hey, Claire! Fancy seeing you here," she greeted cheerfully.

"Hi, Ashley," I murmured, caught off guard by her friendliness.

_I thought she didn't like me?_

"Well, listen, I'm not doing anything right now, so do you want to go out for some coffee?", she offered.

_Hmm, this could actually be interesting._

"That sounds great," I replied, attempting to smile at her.

I wanted to appear as friendly and polite as possible. That way, she might be able to open up to me about herself later on.

We agreed to meet at a small coffee shop over in Coronado and then I drove there, arriving a few moments before Ashley did.

I went to sit down at a table, and she joined me shortly after. Like usual, I ordered a small vanilla cappuccino- one of my all-time favorite drinks.

"What did you think of the golf event last week?", Ashley asked me.

"It was fun. Derek's parents have a very nice country club."

"Tell me about it. You know, I regretted not having the chance to talk to you that day."

 _That's because you were too busy revealing unnecessary details about your golf outing with Derek_ , my subconscious sneered.

"Well, we have right now to talk," I remarked.

"True. So, how are you and Derek doing?", she asked casually, glancing down at her perfectly manicured fingers.

"Good," I replied, clearing my throat.

"That's nice to hear. Anyways, last month, he told me that you ran away from home."

I froze in my seat and narrowed my eyes at her. Where was she going with this?

"Yeah, we had an argument," I said slowly.

"About what?", Ashley probed.

At first, I was taken aback by her nosiness, but then decided that I might as well just tell her the truth. Derek probably confided in her anyways while I was gone, so what I was about to say now wouldn't be new to her. At least, that's what I hoped.

"Well, Derek wasn't exactly the nicest husband. He acted like a total jerk to me most of the time, and one day, I decided that I couldn't take it anymore. So, I left."

"I see. Why did you go back to him then?" Her lips were pursed as she awaited my response.

By then, our drinks had arrived, and I took a small sip of my cappuccino before speaking.

"For your information, it was  _him_  that begged me to go back." My tone was cold and distant.

"Does he treat you badly now?"

"No. I already told you, he and I have been on very good terms since then."

Ashley scoffed and then she gazed at me with her icy amber eyes, her expression turning into one of contempt.

"I don't mean to be rude, but do you honestly think that Derek gives a shit about you?"

I inhaled sharply and tightly grasped my cup, controlling the anger that I could feel boiling deep down inside of me.

_How dare she!_

"You guys got married because of a business deal. He's just worried that if you leave, it'll screw up the whole partnership with your brother. So I wouldn't get my hopes up too high if I were you," she finished.

Immediately, I felt my heart begin to sink as I realized the truth behind her words. I hated to admit it, but Ashley was right.

If there had been no business deal tying us together, my husband would've left me a long time ago. He was just acting like he cared because of the situation we were both in. His company would always be the most important thing to him.

And to think that I could actually be falling for Derek? As much as it hurt, I'd never mean anything to him.

Large tears were brimming my eyes, and I quickly stood up. The last thing I needed was for Ashley to see me cry.

"I'm sorry, I have to go," I murmured hastily.

I grabbed my purse and threw a ten-dollar bill onto the table to pay for my drink before rushing towards the door, completely unaware of the smug, satisfactory smirk that had spread across Ashley's face.

 


	21. Setting Things Straight

 

It was almost seven by the time I got home. I carried the groceries from my car into the kitchen, placing them on the counter. Before I began to prepare the chicken parmesan, I went to go use the bathroom, bumping into Derek on the way.

"Oh, you're finally back," he said happily.

I gave him a brief smile then locked myself in the bathroom. Seeing his face hurt now after everything Ashley had said.

I glanced into the mirror and saw a sad, sullen girl staring back at me- not cheerful and bright like she normally was. It's crazy how my day could go spiraling downwards like this. All because reality had finally dawned on me.

Derek was watching Sunday Night Football in the living room as I prepared dinner. When everything was finished, he went to pour us some wine and then we sat down at the table to eat.

He heartily dug into the pasta while I just stared blankly at my plate. I'd suddenly lost my appetite, which was usually never the case for me. Food was my life, but right now, I just didn't feel like eating.

"Are you not hungry or something?", Derek asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No. You can have my plate if you want," I replied, sliding it towards him. He set his fork down and gazed at me intently with brooding eyes.

"Baby, what's wrong?"

I remained silent.

"You're not talking or eating. I know there's something you're not telling me," he said.

"You don't have to act like you care," I muttered under my breath.

"What are you talking about?" He had a confused expression on his face.

"I spoke with Ashley today over some coffee."

"Wait, how did you contact her?", Derek inquired, completely appalled.

"We ran into each other at the grocery store."

"What did she say to you?" His lips were pressed together in a thin line, and there was a slight edge to his tone.

"It doesn't matter," I said quietly.

Derek abruptly got up and went to stand right next to my chair. He sighed in frustration, running a hand through his hair.

"Claire, is Ashley the reason you're acting like this?"

"It's not Ashley. It's the things she told me. We talked about how I ran away that one time last month, and then she brought up the business deal between you and Justin."

"Yeah? What about the deal?"

"Derek, the only reason we're even together like this is because of it. You just wanted me to come home so that your partnership with Justin wouldn't be ruined."

"Did Ashley tell you all this?"

I slowly nodded my head as I felt the tears begin to stream down my face. Immediately, Derek got on his knees so that he was eye-level with me.

"Claire, listen to me. I don't give a shit about that deal anymore. I truly want to be with you. Can't you see that?" His tone was desperate and urgent.

"B-but Ashley-," I stuttered.

"Forget Ashley!", he snapped in annoyance. I winced slightly at his outburst.

"Doesn't she mean anything to you?"

"How many times do I have to tell you? She's just my  _friend_. Don't let her get to your head. Quite frankly, she had no right to even bring up the whole business deal."

"But she's your secretary."

"I'm aware of that. The point is, I bet she just mentioned the deal to try to bring you down and make you doubt our relationship."

I was silent and Derek grabbed my wrists, pulling me up so that we were both standing with my chest pressed against his.

"You know what? I think Ashley's just plain jealous of you," he said with conviction. "Because you are the sweetest, most beautiful girl in the entire world. But you know what I admire the most about you?"

"What?"

"Your strong mind. Oh, and did I mention that you make an excellent chocolate cake, too?"

A faint smile began to play on my lips as I let Derek's words soak in.

"Baby, you mean so much to me. Don't ever think otherwise, alright?", he spoke gently, tilting my chin up with his finger.

"I won't," I whispered.

"Good. Now wipe those tears away. We still have to finish that mouthwatering chicken parmesan of yours," he said with a boyish grin, briefly kissing me on the lips before going back to his chair. I felt my insides tingling with delight as I sat down.

_Oh, the effect this man had on me..._

After washing the dishes, I headed upstairs to take a quick shower, changing into a tank top and sweatpants. Then, I joined Derek in the living room to watch the remainder of the football game.

We were sitting on opposite ends of the couch and during commercial breaks, I'd stare at his angelic face. When he finally sensed that he was being observed, he turned his head and our eyes met as I gave him a shy smile.

"We should really do something about this gigantic space between us," he remarked, his lips curling into a mischievous grin.

"Yeah, I know. It's been bothering me ever since the third quarter started," I said, playing along.

Derek smirked and patted his thigh, beckoning me to come sit down on his lap. I giggled and eagerly crawled towards his awaiting embrace, making myself comfortable on top of him.

He enveloped me in his arms as I buried my face in the crook of his neck, inhaling his familiar, manly scent.

"This is so much better," he murmured.

"I agree."

He kissed my hair then we both directed our attention back to the TV. As the fourth and final quarter was wrapping up, I fought to stay awake, but my eyes were becoming so tired, it almost felt impossible to keep them open.

I let out a quiet yawn, and Derek gazed down at me with a hint of amusement on his face as he gently stroked my cheek with the back of his knuckles.

"You sleepy?", he asked.

I nodded my head in response and to my surprise, he rose to his feet so that we were both off the couch, with him carrying me in his arms. 

"Let's get you to bed," he said with a smile, kissing my forehead.

Derek switched off the TV and lights then began making his way upstairs to our bedroom.

"Am I too heavy?", I asked him playfully.

"Not at all, baby," he replied with a soft chuckle.

I sighed in content the moment Derek laid me down on our bed, feeling the soft, silky sheets beneath my skin. I was aware that I hadn't even brushed my teeth yet, but I was just so god damn sleepy.

My mind was at ease now compared to earlier this evening, knowing that Ashley's words had nothing to do with how my husband truly felt about our marriage.

"I'm gonna go brush my teeth, alright?", Derek spoke.

"Ok. I'll probably be asleep by the time you're done," I said with a weary smile.

"Well, then I'll see you tomorrow. Good night, sweetheart." He kissed me on the cheek then turned off the bedside lamp.

"Good night, Derek."

And as soon as he was gone, I immediately drifted into a deep, peaceful sleep.

**Derek's POV**

The alarm on my phone went off the following morning, and I groaned, rolling onto my side to turn it off before it could wake Claire up.

She stirred slightly but then grew still again as her chest continued to rise and fall while she slept.

A smile tugged at my lips as I observed my wife. She was so unbelievably beautiful, with her brown waves fanning across the pillow and long lashes resting against her cheeks.

_I wonder what it'd be like to make love to her._

The thought of Claire naked instantly made me harden as wild images began popping into my head.Seeing her in bikinis was the closest I'd ever gotten to that, and man, did she look smokin' in them. I could only imagine what a feast it'd be for my eyes if she wore nothing at all.

The truth was, I'd been wanting our relationship to grow more intimate for quite some time now, but I was willing to take things slow if that's what was best for us.

I had no idea when, but one day, I'd show her just how much I cared about her. Hopefully by then, she'd be willing to give herself to me.

Lying beside my wife, I could watch her sleep for hours. But unfortunately, I had to go to work. I gently rubbed my hand up and down her arm, placing a kiss on the corner of her month before reluctantly dragging myself out of bed.

A frown crossed my face when I remembered how Claire had come home sulking yesterday without saying a single word to me, and at that moment, I resolved to lay down the law with Ashley about her behavior. Because quite frankly, I was not ok with it.

My wife had suffered so much these past few years, the least she deserved now was to be happy. And I wasn't going to let a jealous ex take that away from her.

The moment I arrived at my workplace, I stormed towards Ashley's office and began to knock impatiently on the door.

"Who is it?", she called in a sing-songy voice.

"It's me," I replied through gritted teeth.

I heard the sound of her heels clacking against the hardwood floor and then the door swung open. I rolled my eyes at her attire- an extremely low-cut blouse and tight skirt.

_No surprise there._

"Good mor-," she began to greet when I interrupted her.

"We need to talk." My tone was ice cold as anger radiated from me like a bulb.

"About what?", she inquired in an innocent tone.

"Just cut with the act already," I snapped.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"My wife was  _crying_  at dinner last night because of the things you said to her. What's the matter with you, Ash?" I crossed my arms in front of my chest, demanding an answer.

"But everything I told her was true. Even you know that, right?"

"No, I don't. But what I  _do_ know is that I won't let you screw up my marriage. Claire is really important to me, and I don't want to lose her because of you," I stated firmly.

"Because of  _me_?", she uttered in disbelief.

"Yes! And don't try to act all innocent. You know what you said at the golf course last weekend was totally inappropriate."

"Come on, you have to admit you enjoyed it just as much as I did," she said with a flirtatious wink.

"See, this is exactly what I mean! Ashley, you honestly have to stop acting like this. How do you think my wife feels when she sees you making all these comments about our past in front of her face?"

"Derek, you must have  _some_  feelings for me still. I know you do." She reached out to touch my arm, but I quickly slapped her hand away.

"We're just  _friends_ , Ashley," I said in exasperation.

_God, when would she ever get that through her thick skull?_

_"_ And I swear to god, if you ever try to say or do anything to hurt Claire again, you and I will have a talk. And I promise you, it won't be a friendly one. Understood?" I narrowed my eyes at her as she looked up at me with a wary expression on her face.

"Are you mad at me?", Ashley asked timidly.

"Hell, I'm beyond pissed right now."

"I'm sorry, Derek," she mumbled, directing her gaze to the floor.

I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair, managing to calm down a bit. I honestly felt like I was lecturing a little girl, only Ashley was a grown woman who just so happened to be my ex-girlfriend  _and_  secretary.

"You better be. Now get those  documents I gave you on Friday ready for our meeting in LA next week."

"Already back to that bossy CEO self of yours, I see?", she remarked.

"It's how I make a living," I said pointedly, straightening out my tie. "And one more thing. I'm planning on asking Claire if she'd like to come to LA with us. That's not going to be a problem, is it?"

Ashley's eyes immediately widened in surprise, and I noticed a hint of a scowl cross her features- which led me to believe that she wasn't too fond of the idea.

But I couldn't care less. After all, this was  _my_  company and I could bring whoever I wanted with me on business trips.

"No, of course not," she muttered.

"Good."

And with that, I turned on my heel and headed towards my office, ready to conquer the huge stack of papers I had waiting for me on my desk.

Thank god I'd finally set things straight with Ashley. It felt like a giant weight had been lifted off my chest. Hopefully, she'd stick to her word and not go all "unpredictable" on me like she normally was. But who knows...

 


	22. Falling

 

**Claire's POV**

"So let me get this straight. You want  _me_  to go with you on  _your_  business trip?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's what I asked you," Derek said.

He'd just taken a shower and was putting on some sweatpants over his boxers for bed. And yes, they were hanging off his hips in 'that way' that I loved so much.

"Is that even legal?", I asked him.

"Sweetheart, you're my  _wife_. Of course I can bring you with me," he replied with a laugh.

"Oh...Because I thought that only your workers went on business trips with you," I remarked.

"Well, it's usually just me and Ashley. Sometimes Keith will go, too."

At the mention of Ashley's name-  whom I loathed with a burning passion more and more each day- my subconscious immediately told me to decline Derek's invitation to accompany him to LA.

_I hope I never had to see that heartless woman ever again._

"You know what, I think I'll just stay home," I stated.

"Why?", Derek asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well,  _s_ _omeone_  has to look over this place while you're gone, right?", I said, gesturing the large expanse of our bedroom with my arm.

A look of amusement began to play in Derek's eyes and he plopped down on the bed, shaking his head as he began to laugh.

"What's so funny?", I asked him.

"For one thing, this house doesn't need anyone to 'look over it.' And second, if that was some sort of lame excuse for you to not go, then I'm not buying it."

"I wasn't making an excuse. And besides, I already have plans with Charlotte for next Wednesday," I blurted, crossing my arms in front of my chest.

 _Liar_ , my subconscious sneered.

"I thought you told me she was visiting her mom this weekend and wouldn't be back until next Friday?"

_Shit._

"Yeah, but she found out that she had an important meeting to attend on Tuesday, so she has to come home earlier than planned," I quickly spoke.

_Wow, I was better at lying than I thought._

"Oh, really?" Derek still didn't seem convinced.

"Yup."

I gave him an endearing smile, praying to God that he wouldn't figure out that Ashley was the real reason I didn't want to go to LA with him.

Instead of returning my smile like he normally would, Derek's face suddenly began to fall as he climbed under the covers, turning his back away from me.

"Hey, what's wrong?", I asked him with concern.

"Nothing. I was just really hoping that you and I could spend some quality time together in LA. But if your plans with Charlotte are more important, then I understand," he replied in a distant tone.

_Crap, what had I done?_

"Oh, honey, don't say that. You know how important you are to me," I assured, crawling into bed next to him. I slipped my arm around his waist, but he still wouldn't turn to look at me.

"It's my fault. I should've told you about this sooner," he murmured.

_No, Derek, it's_ **_my_ ** _fault. For not being honest with you about why I couldn't go._

At that moment, I felt like confessing everything to him, but I was afraid of what he'd think of me- some weak, insecure woman who couldn't stand up for herself against a jealous ex of her husband's.

The truth was, I trusted Derek with all my heart. But the last thing I wanted was having to see Ashley's face again. I needed a break from her and maybe then, I'd go with my husband on his next trip.

"Are you mad at me?", I asked Derek quietly.

A deep sigh escaped his lungs and then finally, he turned his body around to face me. I could tell that he was still upset from the disappointed look in his eyes, but eventually, a faint smile began to touch the corners of his mouth. I was overcome with relief.

"Aww baby, I could never be mad at you."

"That's because you love me too much," I said teasingly.

_Shit, did that just come out of my mouth?_

I quickly glanced at Derek to see how he'd reacted, but his expression was unreadable. He remained quiet and I began to feel extremely uncomfortable. I'd meant that he 'loved me' as a joke. Who knew it'd make things all awkward like this?

_T_ _here was no way my husband could possibly be in love with me...right?_

It was then that I finally decided to break the silence.

"Next time you want me to go with you on your business trip, I will. I promise."

_Just not this time._

"Sounds good."

Derek reached out to pull me tight against his chest and I sighed in relaxation. There was nowhere else I'd rather be than safe in his arms.

But still, I couldn't help but wonder if he had  _some_  feelings for me...like I did for him.

In the middle of the night, my body abruptly jerked upright as traces of the nightmare I just had were beginning to fade into oblivion. I hadn't dreamt about Nick for over a month now, but this one in particular left me utterly shaken.

All I remembered was the vision of his gruesome, bloody appearance at the scene of the car accident. My face became as pale as a ghost, and I fought to control my sobbing as my arms searched for Derek in the total darkness.

Only he wasn't there.

I immediately glanced at the alarm clock and saw that it was midnight. He probably just went to get a glass of water or something.

But ten minutes later, he was still nowhere to be seen in our bedroom. At a moment like this, especially after I'd had such a horrific nightmare, I needed my husband the most. To tell me that things were going to be ok. That  _I'd_  be ok.

I quickly got out of bed and put on my robe even though it was extremely warm in the house. Just thinking about Nick made me feel chilled fo the bone.

After doing a thorough search of the entire second floor, I still couldn't find my husband. And that's when I began to panic.

_What if my biggest fear had come to life? What if Derek had just_ **_left_ ** _me without saying a single word?_

I rushed downstairs and called out his name, but there was no reply. I checked all of the rooms and the moment I saw a light coming from underneath one of the doors, I breathed the biggest sigh of relief.

_He was in his study._

I heard him talking on the phone to someone and contemplated whether or not to go inside. But for crying out loud, I was his  _wife_.

So, I slowly opened the door and was greeted by his intense gaze. He set his phone down on the desk before speaking.

"Why aren't you in bed?"

"I had a nightmare," I mumbled in a quivering tone.

"About Nick?"

I slowly nodded my head.

His business-like manner instantly vanished as a sympathetic look crossed his face.

"Oh, baby...Come here," he said, standing up as he held his arms out for me to run into. And I did.

I began to cry again and Derek sat back down so I was curled up in his lap like a child. He stroked my hair and placed gentle kisses on my forehead without saying a single word. But he didn't have to. Just knowing that he was by my side made the pain feel that much less.

"I-I'm sorry I i-interrupted your work."

"Sweetheart, you're my number one priority. Not work. I only came down here because I couldn't sleep. If I'd known you were up there crying like this, I wouldn't have left."

"Who were you on the phone with?", I asked.

"One of the guys over in Sydney that's part of our hotel project. It's 5 in the evening over there so I thought I'd give him a call to check up on things," he replied.

"Oh, ok."

Derek wiped the remains of my tears away with his thumb and then I got off his lap, straightening out my robe.

"You feeling better now?"

I nodded my head in response.

"Well in that case, we should probably go back to bed."

He let out a massive yawn and then gave me a crooked smile. I loved those smiles best. They never failed to brighten my mood.

I stood up on my tippy toes to give Derek a peck on the lips, which caught him by surprise for a moment. But before I could even take a single step, he pulled me back towards him and crushed his lips against mine.

The kiss was urgent, full of passion and desire, unlike any other times we've kissed. His mouth was devouring mine as if his life depended on it.

I closed my eyes and savored his intoxicating taste as our tongues danced in unison, driving my senses completely wild. His lips began to trail downwards and I moaned out in pleasure when I felt them against my neck.

Meanwhile, his hands were scrambling to untie my robe, but that's when I decided that we both had to stop.

"Derek, no. Not right now," I said in between gasps.

He immediately pulled away, and I struggled to catch my breath. For a brief second, a look of discouragement crossed his face. But then, he cleared his throat and ran a hand through his messy hair.

"Sorry. I kind of got carried away," he mumbled guiltily.

"It's ok. Come on, let's get back to bed."

I slipped my arm around his waist and we both headed upstairs to our room, fighting to control the sexual tension that had somehow risen between us from just a single kiss. It was as clear as day what Derek had wanted back in his study.

And what shocked me a little was the fact that  _I'd_  wanted him, too. However, everything soon escaped my mind the moment I began to drift off to sleep.

***

It was the day before Derek had to leave for his business trip in LA. This weekend, I had received a call from Wells Fargo, and they wanted to interview me for their financial analyst position.

I was stunned at first because I never recalled applying for a job there, but then one person immediately came to mind.

Charlotte.

She must've had something to do with this. So, I called her to find out, and indeed, she was the one who had set up that opportunity for me.

"Remember how I told you that I had a surprise coming up for you last week? Well, this was it. I didn't want you to get bored of staying home everyday. And besides, we'll get to see each other at work," she'd said happily.

I sure was thankful to have a friend like her. The truth was, I'd been planning to get a job sooner or later, so I wouldn't feel like I was depending on Derek's money consistently- even if he kept telling me that it was  _our_  money. I wanted to be able to support myself financially in case something ever happened.

 _Like_ _a divorce,_ a voice in my head spoke.

I immediately dismissed the thought. In the past, I would've done anything to get out of my marriage, but now, Derek had become more of a husband figure to me.

He might not be Nick, but there was no doubt about how much I enjoyed having him in my life. He was handsome, sincere, funny, and most importantly, trustworthy.

I believed him when he'd said that he and Ashley were just friends. She might be his secretary at work, but I was his wife- the woman he came home to everyday.

As I was driving downtown for my interview, my palms began to grow sweaty due to anxiety and nervousness.

_What if they don't like me? What if I don't get the job?_

To calm myself down, I thought back to when I had my first ever job interview for Chipotle as a sophomore in high school. The manager really liked me and said that I had an extremely friendly personality. And plus, my kitchen skills weren't too bad either.

So, he gave me the job. Working at Chipotle definitely hadn't been a stroll in the park, but as long as it paid for my car, then I was fine with it.

_Oh, and I'd learned to make a mean burrito, too._

A huge smile spread across my face as I remembered the day Nick and his hockey team had visited me at work after their game.

We had a contest to see who could eat the most chips and guacamole, and Carter-one of the senior defensemen- ended up vomiting in the bathroom.

By the time I arrived at Wells Fargo, all of my self-doubt vanished and instead was replaced with poise and confidence. I smoothed out my black pencil skirt and stepped into the building, determined to get this job.

An hour later, I was back at home baking a pie for my grandparents whom I would be visiting tomorrow in Coronado. They'd just gotten back from a one-month vacation in Europe.

The interview had gone extremely well, and I would know in about two weeks time if I'd been hired or not.

I also found out that although financial analysts worked in office settings, sometimes they had to work long hours. I personally didn't mind because Derek usually got home late himself.

When I finished baking the cherry pie around five, I headed upstairs to take a shower, putting on a comfy pair of sweatpants and my Blackhawks tshirt afterwards since I wasn't planning on going anywhere else today.

Speaking of the Hawks, I sure couldn't wait for hockey season to start again next month. I definitely had to attend at least one game this year. Too bad, the closest city from here that actually had an NHL team was LA. Back in Minnesota, I could go see the Wild play whenever I wanted.

When I stepped out of the bathroom, my eyes widened in surprise at the sight of Derek unbuttoning his white shirt in our bedroom.

_When did_ _**he** _ _get home?_

I quietly sneaked up behind him and wrapped my arms around his waist. To say he was startled would've been an understatement.

He whipped around, and the moment I saw the horrified expression on his gorgeous face, I couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"Oh, thank god it's just you," he said with a huge sigh of relief.

"Who'd you think it was?", I asked, playfully ruffling his hair.

"A serial killer," he replied with a straight face, pulling me into his chest.

"Why are you home so early?"

"Just thought I'd surprise you. But looks like it was the other way around. You scared the hell out of me!", he exclaimed.

"Like you don't ever do that to me," I scoffed.

"Have you cooked dinner yet?"

"No."

"Good, because I want to take you out for dinner tonight," he said, giving me his signature smile that managed to steal my breath away every time.

"Is that why you came home early?"

"Yup. I thought 'hey, why not take my wife out to a fancy dinner before I have to leave tomorrow?' Now go make yourself look nice. I'm gonna take a shower real quick and then we'll leave."

"Ok."

"Oh, and when I said to make yourself 'look nice', I meant to like wear a dress or something. I wasn't trying to be offensive or anything. 'Cause believe me baby, you  _always_  look nice," he remarked with a wink before heading into the bathroom.

I could feel a blush beginning to creep onto my cheeks as I went to go search for a casual dress in our spacious closet. After hearing his flattering comment, I almost had a sudden urge to ask him this single question.

_Who are you and what have you done to the old Derek?_

But god knows I'd choose this Derek over the old one in a heartbeat. And if there was something else I'd finally come to realize, it was this.

I was falling for my husband. Hard.

 


	23. Date Night

 

For the past ten minutes, I'd been staring blankly at my wardrobe filled with the most elegant selection of dresses. However, I just couldn't seem to pick out a single one to wear.  
  
Knowing my husband and his luxurious lifestyle, it was most likely that he had an upscale restaurant in mind tonight for our dinner. So, I opted for a fancier look.  
  
A devious smirk began to form on my lips as a champagne-colored designer dress caught my attention. Although it hung in the back of the closet, the sparkly studs were impossible to notice.  
  
Oh, and did I also mention that it had a completely open back and quite low of a neckline?  
  
Charlotte had bought it for me back when we were in college. Her aunt worked for the company that designed it, so she was able to get a discount.  
  
Tonight would be the perfect occasion to wear it. I normally never wore revealing clothing, but for some reason, I just felt extra bold and daring at the moment.  
  
So, I grabbed the dress, and with a confident smile plastered on my face, marched towards the bathroom. I knocked on the door and Derek opened it, his hair dripping wet with only a towel wrapped around his waist.  
  
My eyes betrayed me as they wandered down his perfectly sculpted body when I was interrupted by the sound of him clearing his throat.  
  
"What do you need?", he asked.  
  
I immediately glanced up at him and could feel a blush beginning to creep on my cheeks. His eyes shone with amusement.  
  
"Get out. I have to change," I said abruptly, pushing him out the door.  
  
"But my clothes-"  
  
Out of mischief, I threw Derek's trousers, gray dress shirt, and boxers at his chest, leaving him utterly speechless as they landed on the ground.  
  
He was about to open his mouth to say something, but I just gave him a sweet smile before shutting the door in his precious face.  
  
"Fuck you, Claire," I heard him grumble. A proud smirk formed on my lips, and I couldn't help but burst out laughing.  
  
 _Jeez, where was the love in this relationship?  
_  
After I finished putting on some mascara, lipstick, and my favorite pair of dangly silver earrings, I began to head downstairs.  
  
I admit, I felt like a fierce lioness in this striking gown. I was always used to dressing in modest clothing, but going for a different look every now and then couldn't hurt.  
  
After strapping on my heels, I went outside where Derek was waiting with his BMW in the driveway. He was talking on the phone, but when he turned around to look at me, I was not at all prepared to be greeted by the fiery glare that read pure outrage in his blue eyes.  
  
 _Uh oh._

He hung up the phone, placing it in his back pocket before approaching me with long, quick strides.  
  
"You look very hand-,"  
  
"Shut up!", he snarled at me. I gulped nervously.  
  
"What's wrong?", I asked cautiously, wincing at his loud tone.  
  
"Your fucking dress! What the hell are you wearing?", he exclaimed in disbelief.  
  
"I beg your pardon?", I demanded in a raised voice. He groaned loudly and placed his hands on his hips.  
  
"Go. Change. Now," he said through gritted teeth, looming over me. "I will not have other men ogling you. You're married for God's sake!"  
  
 _Oh lord, he was jealous. And jealous Derek was never pleasant to be around._

"You're impossible," I spat at him, ignoring his rage as I climbed into the car.  
  
I should've known he'd react like this. But what gave him the right to dictate what I wore? He was just going to have to deal with it because I was  _not_  changing into something different.  
  
I heard my husband curse under his breath before reluctantly getting in the driver's seat. He briefly glanced at me as we backed out of the driveway, his eyes raking over my body.  
  
"Believe me, you're going to regret ever wearing that scandalous thing," he said in a low, seductive tone.  
  
Yikes...  
  
"You don't think it looks good on me?", I asked innocently.  
  
"Hell, it looks  _too_  good," he muttered to hinself so that I couldn't hear.  
  
"What did you say?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
During the car drive, I was given the silent treatment, but I knew that Derek couldn't stay mad at me for long. I simply stared out the window, watching the city lights fly by.  
  
Just like I had predicted, he began to talk again once we were nearing the restaurant. According to the GPS, there was only a quarter of a mile left.  
  
"You hungry, yet?", Derek asked cheerfully, casually resting his hand on my thigh.  
  
 _How much more bipolar could this man be?_

_Well, at least his good looks made up for it_ , my subconscious reminded.  
  
"I'm starving," I replied.  
  
"Me too."  
  
"You know, it feels like we're going on a date right now."  
  
"I guess you could call it that," he said with a broad smile.  
  
"I've never been on a date before actually," I admitted.  
  
"Oh really? What about Nick?"  
  
At the mention of my late best friend's name, I could feel a whirlwind of emotions begin to cloud my mind. I don't think I could ever forget him. After all, he was the only guy to have captured my heart.  
  
"We never had the chance to go on a date."  
  
I didn't want tonight to be filled with misery and sad thoughts about Nick, so I tried my best to put on a joyful expression.  
  
"Well, then I'm honored to be your first date."  
  
I could see a look of triumph cross his face as he pulled into the parking garage of Symphony Towers- two identical skyscrapers. In fact, they were the second tallest buildings in San Diego.  
  
"Um, why are we here?", I asked.  
  
"To eat. Duh."  
  
"But this is an office building."  
  
Derek gave me a wink, and we both got out of the car. I was awfully curious as to what we were doing here, but it looked like he wasn't going to explain anytime soon.  
  
He offered me his hand, and I took it as he led us inside the building. Several people were gathered on the main floor, all dressed in suits and the fanciest gowns. Apparently, there was some sort of gala taking place.  
  
"I didn't know they had a ballroom here," I commented.  
  
"There's also a hotel, too," Derek added.  
  
"So, where's the restaurant?"  
  
"You'll see."  
  
We got inside the elevator and he pressed the button labeled 'Penthouse Floor.' The moment we stepped out, my eyes widened in pure awe and fascination.  
  
"Welcome to the University Club," Derek announced with a grin.  
  
"Oh my god...it's beautiful," I breathed.  
  
We were on the very top floor in an oval-shaped room, and the walls were made entirely out of glass. The bright city lights illuminated the night sky, and you could see the rooftops of distant buildings. It was an absolutely incredible view.  
  
"I know right? Come on, let's go get our table."  
  
Derek's hand was on the small of my back as he directed me towards the restaurant entrance. Just the feel of his touch against my bare skin sent waves of electricity coursing through my veins.  
  
"Why, good evening, Mr. Weston," the female server greeted us with a kind smile. "I believe you made a reservation for two?"  
  
"Yes. For me and my beautiful wife," he replied, gazing down at me adoringly.  
  
And for the second time that day, my cheeks began to grow red like a tomato.  
  
"It's nice to meet you, Claire. I'm Sarah," she said warmly.  
  
"Likewise." I smiled at her.  
  
As Sarah led us to our table, I couldn't help but admire the elegant decorations and bountiful flower vases that adorned the all-exclusive restaurant. There was even a fountain near the bar.  
  
All of a sudden, I felt Derek grow tense beside me, and I glanced over at him to see what was going on. His eyes were shooting daggers, and he pulled me closer to him.  
  
"Is something bothering you?", I asked worriedly when we were seated at a table near the back.  
  
"Yes. Do you not see the way these men are staring at you?", he muttered angrily.  
  
"Wow, possessive much?", I remarked in a mocking tone, rolling my eyes.  
  
"I'm not possessive. I just like to protect what's mine."  
  
My heart instantly skipped a beat the moment those words left his mouth.  
  
 _I was **his**..._

"Relax, Derek. I've only got eyes for you. So quit with the jealousy act. It'll shorten your lifespan."  
He managed to chuckle lightly.  
  
"I mean, come on, aren't women always ogling over you, too? But you don't see  _me_  making a big deal about it."  
  
"Why wouldn't they? I'm quite a sight," Derek said with an arrogant smirk.  
  
I simply stared at my husband as he looked through his menu, occasionally rubbing his jaw. I sank back in my chair when his blue eyes met mine and smiled shyly at him.  
  
"What?", he asked.  
  
"Have you brought any of your past lovers here before?"  
  
"No. You're the first woman to dine here with me," he stated firmly.  
  
"Oh, I see." I couldn't help but do a mental somersault.  
  
"I've eaten here a few times with coworkers, though."  
  
"That's nice."  
  
At that moment, the waitress arrived to take our order. Derek suggested I try the baked lobster, so I did. For himself, he ordered a New York strip steak.  
  
As we waited for our food to come, we talked about my job interview and how it'd gone. Derek had a strong feeling that I'd get the position. If all went well, I'd be working within the next couple of weeks.  
  
When the waitress brought out our food, I heartily dug into my lobster. We also had one of the best wines in California to accompany our meal. I'd already drunk quite a bit of it already.  
  
"How on earth do you eat with a dress as tight as that on?", Derek asked as he cut me a piece of his steak to try.  
  
"I swear to god, you've been mentally undressing me with your eyes this whole time."  
  
It was true. Whenever he wasn't looking at his food, he was either staring at my chest or trying to catch a glimpse of my butt when I'd gone to go use the restroom earlier.  
  
"I can't help it, sweetheart. You look smoking hot," he admitted as his face turned bright red. And it wasn't because of the alcohol.  
  
"I knew you'd finally come to love this dress," I said with a daring smile.  
  
After having a few glasses too many of wine, I began to feel slightly light-headed. I hadn't had this much to drink in a long time.  
  
"So...when's the last time you got laid?", I asked Derek as we were both sharing an ice cream.  
  
"You're drunk," he remarked with a laugh.  
  
"I'm not. I'm just curious."  
  
"Why do you care?" He had an amused look on his face.  
  
"Just answer the damn question."  
  
"Way too long ago to remember. Probably a month before I got married to you."  
  
"Poor you."  
  
"This is gonna be a long night," Derek said, grinning.  
  
It was nine o'clock by the time we got home. I went to the fridge to grab some strawberries to snack on. I wasn't all that full from my dinner because the portion was fairly small. That's what I didn't like about fancy restaurants. You had to pay more for less.  
  
I sat down on the stool next to the kitchen counter, eating my strawberries. They had to be my favorite fruits in the world.  
  
When Derek walked by, I grabbed him by the tie and pulled him towards me. He encircled his arms around my waist, and I grabbed another strawberry.  
  
"Want one?", I asked when he grabbed both sides of my face and crushed his lips against mine.  
  
My eyes widened in surprise and the strawberry fell out of my hand as I wrapped my arms around his neck, pressing him against me.  
  
I could feel him smiling against the kiss as his tongue invaded my mouth, exploring every inch of it. I was lifted into his arms, and he carried me bridal-style upstairs to our bedroom.  
  
The moment Derek lay me down on our bed, he climbed on top, his lips wreaking havoc all over my neck. I let out a loud moan as he began to rub his growing erection against my feminine core.  
  
"See what you do to me, Claire?", he said in a husky tone. "You have no idea how badly I wanted to rip this dress off of you the moment you walked out the front door."  
  
His words sent shivers down my spine, and my desire for him increased as he continued to kiss me senselessly, my fingers tangled in his luscious, dark hair.  
  
Eventually, we both stopped to catch our breaths. Derek lifted my chin up and I stared into his lust-filled eyes.  
  
"Do you know how long I waited for this moment?", he whispered, brushing away a stray piece of hair from my face.  
  
My heart was beating rapidly as Derek slowly unzipped my dress. I grew still beneath him and suddenly rushed to grab his hand.  
  
"I can't do this," I breathed.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Y-you and Ashley probably did it on this same bed." My voice was shaking, and I felt more vulnerable than ever.  
  
 _What is wrong with you? Your hunk of a husband is lusting over you and you're bringing up his ex?_ , my subconscious scolded.  
  
 _God, I was such a mess._

"Sweetheart, listen to me. Ashley and I were in the past. But now, it's just us two. She'll never get in the way of our marriage. Do you trust me?"  
  
"I  _do_  trust you," I said quietly.  
  
"Besides, I know you want me just as much as I want you."  
  
He gave me his signature smile and then went back to removing my dress. Only this time, I didn't stop him. He slid it down the rest of my body before throwing it on the ground.  
  
I pulled him back towards me and impatiently began to undo his tie and the buttons on his dress shirt. Soon, the only thing he had on was his boxers.  
  
As he kissed me passionately, I could feel his large hands on my breasts. A moan escaped my lips as he gently tugged my nipples with his fingers, causing my feminine core to pool with desire.  
  
"You're so beautiful," he breathed against my lips before his mouth began to follow the direction of his hands. I lay helplessly underneath him as he sucked and licked my skin, inching closer to my throbbing core.  
  
My heart was pounding out of my chest as I anticipated what Derek was going to do next. He hooked a finger into the waistband of my lace thong and slid it down my legs, leaving me naked before his heated gaze.  
  
I cried out with pleasure when he placed a kiss on my most womanly parts. His tongue sent me into a state of pure ecstasy as I grabbed onto the sheets, fighting the urge to scream.  
  
Just as I was about to come apart beneath him, my husband's lips were back on mine, and I kissed him like there was no tomorrow. My hands worked to slide his boxers off as he sucked the sweet spot right below my ear, causing me to elicit a quiet moan.  
  
He positioned himself at my entrance and was about to slide in when I called out his name.  
"What's wrong?", he asked.  
  
"I - I'm a virgin," I confessed.  
  
Derek was grinning ear-to-ear, his blue eyes dancing in the pale moonlight. He truly was the most handsome man I'd ever laid eyes on. And I couldn't wait to share this intimate moment with him.  
  
"I won't hurt you, sweetheart. I promise," he reassured, placing a kiss on the tip of my nose.  
  
"Wait, there's one more thing."  
  
"Oh god, what now?" He was beginning to grow impatient.  
  
"You forgot to put on a condom," I stated, giggling like a little girl.  
  
"Shit."  
  
Derek reached for a pack of condoms in his nightstand and I stared at him in all his naked glory, also catching a glimpse of his length as he was putting one on.  
  
 _Holy shit, it **was**  big._

"Just relax, alright?", he instructed as soon as he was back on top of me. His pupils were dilated, and I could hear the sound of his uneven breathing.  
  
I nodded my head.  
  
The first thrust was slow and painful, but once I was able to adjust to his size, all I experienced was pure pleasure.  
  
His eyes were on mine the entire time, and there were no words to describe how that moment felt like. He placed light kisses on my chest as his thrusts gradually began to quicken.  
  
"Oh, fuck Claire," he groaned as I grinded my hips against his. I writhed against the pillows, digging my nails into his muscular back.  
  
I clung onto Derek as I felt an orgasm building up inside of me, and the final thrust was what sent me over the edge. It was the slowest, deepest one yet.  
  
We both climaxed, and I screamed out his name, my muscles clenched around him. He collapsed on top of me, our bodies covered in sweat as we came down from the high. I gasped for air as my breathing came out in loud pants.  
  
I didn't know about him, but I was completely exhausted. He rolled off of me and went to go throw away the condom.  
  
When Derek came back, he gathered me into his arms, our legs tangled together. The blanket covered our naked bodies and I let out a quiet yawn.  
  
"How was that for your first time?", he asked me with a smile.  
  
"It was perfect," I whispered.  
  
"Just like you." Derek kissed me on the forehead, and I snuggled against his warm chest.  
  
"Thank you for tonight. And the dinner, too."  
  
"Anything for you. Now go to sleep, sweetheart."  
  
At long last, my husband and I had finally consummated our marriage. And it was a night I'd never forget as long as I lived.

 


	24. Happiness

My eyes fluttered open at the crack of dawn as a beam of sunlight peeked through the curtains. Derek must've left the balcony door ajar last night because I could hear the distant sound of waves crashing in the ocean.

Immediately, my cheeks grew red with embarrassment as I realized how loud he and I must've been last night. The last thing I needed was for our neighbors to come knocking at the door, questioning our bedroom activities. I made a mental note to close all the windows and balcony door next time.

As I stretched my arms and legs, right away I noticed how sore my entire body was. To the right of me where Derek normally lay was a wrinkled mess of linen sheets. He probably left a while ago.

At that moment, I began to miss him like crazy. If only he was still here in bed beside me instead of on a plane to LA with that bitchy secretary of his, although I couldn't help but smile to myself in amusement.

 _So_ ** _this_** _was what a one-night stand felt like_...  _Only the man was my own husband who just had to leave for a business trip._

I bet he'd had a fair share of those in his past. Screwing some girl one night then throwing them out at his disposal the next. I honestly didn't even understand how men could be like that. But then again, no one would ever figure out the male species. They were something else.

Thinking about last night's events sent a mixture of emotions running through my brain. The truth was, I had always thought that I'd lose my virginity to my one true love- Nick. But who knew Derek and I would come this far in our relationship?

A part of me was overwhelmed with satisfaction, but I couldn't fight the feeling of guilt that was currently surfacing. I felt like I'd betrayed Nick by sleeping with Derek last night.

I knew he would've wanted me to be happy...but  _he_ was the one that had brought nothing but joy to my life ever since we met eighteen years ago.

The memory of our beloved friendship always brought tears to my eyes, and sometimes, I'd find myself talking out loud to him, as if he was still alive and by my side.

With the image of Nick's face lingering in my mind, I dragged myself out of bed and headed to the bathroom, picking up my clothes off the floor along the way.

A look of horror struck my features the moment I glanced into the mirror. On my neck was a huge hickey where Derek had bitten and sucked last night, and to add to that, his mind-blowing kisses had left my lips completely swollen.

What a great day to be visiting my grandparents. 

When I was about to step into the shower, my phone started ringing, and a smile grew on my face as I picked it up.

"Derek?"

"Good morning, Claire Bear! What are you up to?", my husband asked cheerfully, instantly lifting my spirits.

"I'm about to take a shower."

"Damn it, why couldn't I be home right now," he muttered. I threw my head back and laughed.

"Jeez, wasn't last night enough for you?"

"Baby, I can never get enough. And if I was there right now, I'd put that shower of ours to good use," he drawled.

"You're insane." I heard him chuckling through the phone. Then, his tone grew more serious.

"I miss you, Claire."

"I miss you, too." I sighed heavily.

"You should've come with me."

"I will next time. Are you in LA already?"

"Yeah, I'm just exiting the airport," he said.

After exchanging a few more words, we both said our goodbyes then hung up. Derek thought I'd be hanging out with Charlotte today because that was what I had originally told him. But yes, it had been a lie. She was still out of town.

Before leaving the house around noon, I threw the dirty bedsheets into the washer then grabbed the cherry pie that I was bringing for my grandparents.

It was a slightly cooler day, so I'd opted to wear a pair of dark blue skinny jeans with a white top and stylish cream leather jacket. Luckily, the drive to Coronado was quick since there wasn't any traffic.

When I pulled up to my grandparents' driveway, I spotted my dear grandma watering the flowers in the front yard. She lifted her head up at the sound of my arrival and smiled warmly. 

"Grandma!", I exclaimed, running towards her open embrace.

"Oh, darling, it's been too long."

For someone in their late sixties, my grandma looked awfully young and healthy. She barely even had any wrinkles and as usual, her deep brown eyes shone with delight. I couldn't remember a time she was ever sad except for when my father had passed away.

"Something's different about you," my grandma remarked, standing back to get a good look at me.

"But it's only been like a month since I last saw you," I said with a light laugh.

"I know. You seem...happier this time."

"I do?"

"Yes, dear. Has that husband of yours been treating you well?"

If she'd asked me that question back when my relationship with Derek had felt like a living hell, God knows what I would've said to her. Thankfully, that was all over now. 

"He has," I replied.

"That's good to hear." She smiled.

We both went inside the house and I found my grandpa on the couch watching TV. Unlike my grandma, his health wasn't nearly as good as hers. He suffered a stroke just last year and since then, his  physical wellness had been gradually declining.

I just prayed he'd get better soon because I couldn't stand to have health complications take away another person I loved so dearly.

"Hey, grandpa," I greeted with a huge smile, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"It's about time you came to visit us. I've missed you so much, pumpkin." My grandpa beamed, standing up to give me a hug.

"I missed you too, gramps. I brought you a homemade pie by the way."

"Is it cherry?"

"You bet."

While we were all sitting down at the kitchen table to eat pie, my grandparents filled me in on their trip to Europe and how beautiful it was. I'd always wanted to go there myself. Italy especially was my all-time dream destination to vacation in.

"Oh, I almost forgot to ask. How's Derek been doing?", my grandpa inquired.

"Very well. He's currently working on a new hotel project over in Sydney."

"I see. Bring him with you the next time you come to visit. We both know how busy he is on weekdays so weekends are probably better," he said warmly.

My grandma nodded her head in agreement then glanced up at the clock.

"Honey, don't you have a doctor's appointment to go to right now?"

"My, it's one already?", my grandpa asked with surprise.

"Time flies when you're spending it with your favorite grandchild, right?", I said teasingly.

"Yes, dear." He grinned.

I offered to give him a ride to the doctor's, but he insisted he drive himself. He wanted me to stay home and keep my grandma company.

"You should tell your mother to come live here in San Diego. Think how lonely she must feel living in that huge house all by herself," my grandma spoke as we were preparing dinner a few hours later.

"I've tried, but she doesn't want to quit her job. She said if she moved, she might never have one that pays as well as the one she has now."

"True. And I guess her house  _i_ s where she and your father spent most of their years together."

At the mention of my dad, I could feel the tears threatening to escape, but I quickly blinked them away before getting my grandma all emotional. It seemed like she already was, though, judging from the silence that fell upon her.

"You ok, grandma?", I gently prodded, noticing how her eyes had become watery. 

"I'm fine, dear. It's just the onions," she reassured with a small smile, but I knew that in reality, she was grieving for my father.

When the food was ready, I debated whether to go wake up my grandpa, who had been upstairs taking a nap. In the end, I decided to just let him sleep. Besides, there was plenty of pasta for later if he got hungry.

"Sweetie, there was something your grandpa and I had been wanting to ask you."

"What is it, grandma?", I asked, taking a bite of shrimp.

"Well as you know, our days ahead are getting shorter. Your brother still hasn't married yet, so we can't expect anything much from him at the moment."

_Oh god, first Heather and now her, too?_

"Let me guess, you want grandchildren?"

"Why, yes!" She said, smiling ear to ear. "Wait, you two have already done the deed, right?"

 _Where_ _was_ _the 'mute' button when_ _you_ _needed one?_

Immediately, my cheeks began to grow warm, and I awkwardly cleared my throat.

"Last night was our first time, actually," I mumbled shyly, avoiding my grandma's incredulous stare.

"Oh, darling, why didn't you tell me?"

 _Yes,_ _because i_ _t's_ _your job to know when_ _I'm_ _having sex with my_ _husband_ _._

I couldn't help but laugh at the way she was acting, like a teenaged girl trying to catch up on the latest drama and gossip. 

"I was gonna," I lied.

"I see. So, have you two been thinking about having kids?"

"I don't think I want to yet, grandma," I sighed heavily.

"Are you not happy with Derek?", she asked worriedly.

A smile grew on my face as I thought of my charming husband. He was so sweet and generous, willing to go out of his way to show how much he cared about me. And that smart mouth of his was quite something, too.

"I am. He's a great guy," I said.

"He sure seems like one. Anyways, I was just joking with you. You can have kids whenever you're ready. I know with the situation you both got into, it's not easy for everything to just magically fall into place. It takes time."

"For a moment there, I thought you were serious." I breathed a sigh of relief.

"I was. I just don't want to make you feel rushed or anything. As long as Derek makes you happy, that's all that matters to me and your grandpa." Her eyes shone with the wisdom of her years. And the truth was, she couldn't have been more accurate.

For months, I'd kept telling myself that I would never be able to be happy again. But I was wrong. Derek  _was_ my happiness. 

**Derek's POV**

"Someone seems awfully cheerful today," Ashley commented as we were heading out of LAX.

Ever since the passionate night I'd spent with my wife, I just couldn't stop smiling. I felt like the happiest man in the world.

"Aren't I always cheerful?"

"Eh, not quite," she said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I furrowed my brows, pretending to sound angry.

"Well, you're usually so engrossed in your work, and you get irritated easily."

"True." I rubbed my jaw.

"I've just never seen you this happy before."

"It must be a good day for you too, then," I remarked with a grin.

"Yup. I don't have to worry about you yelling at me," she said triumphantly.

We both got into the sleek Audi that was waiting for us by the curb, and then I gave the driver the address of our hotel downtown.

It was a beautiful, sunny morning in LA without a hint of rain in sight. I definitely had to go surfing later on this evening if any extra time remained after our conference. It was one of my favorite pastimes, apart from football.

I played linebacker on the varsity team all four years in high school and was even named captain my senior year. My father had always told me that I would make something of myself one day. After seeing what I'd managed to achieve and accomplish in just the span of twenty-four years, I guess he'd been right.

As we drove past the beach, I made a mental note to bring Claire here with me next time so I could teach her how to ride the waves.

Just a couple minutes ago, I'd talked with her on the phone and managed to crack her up with my sexual innuendos. There was nothing I loved more than hearing the sound of her sweet laughter. It hadn't even been a day yet and already I missed her.

Getting out of bed this morning had been the hardest thing for me to do. I'd woken up tangled around my wife like ivy, with her soft, bare skin pressed against mine, and it almost killed me to have to just leave her all alone in that bed.

When I found out last night that I was her very first lover, there were no words to describe how incredible it'd made me feel. She was so pure, so innocent, and I was the lucky guy that got to worship her in all her beauty. Hell, if it were possible, I'd spend the rest of my life lost inside of her.

However, when she'd brought up Ashley, the look of pain in her deep brown eyes had struck my heart like a dagger. To this day, I still hated Ashley for the things she said to my wife to make her feel like she wasn't important to me. Thankfully, she'd kept her word about maintaining her distance from me.

Last night, I wanted to make Claire forget all about the pain and hurt she was going through and show her how much I treasured her. But most importantly, I wanted her to forget about Nick Schneider, just for one time.

I knew being jealous of a dead man made me seem like a complete dick, especially since Claire loved him. However, I couldn't help but cling onto the hope that maybe one day, she'd fall for me.

Whether or not that day would ever come,  I didn't know. But no matter what, I would never stop fighting to win her heart.

Because even though our marriage had had its storms and winds in the past, Claire Elizabeth Weston had somehow managed to find her way into mine.

 


	25. Alone

 

 **Claire's** **POV**

Friday came right around the corner and with it brought a cloud of sorrow and grief that hung over my head. It wasn't just any ordinary Friday. It was September 28th- Nick's birthday.

He would've turned twenty-three, and if it weren't for that drunk driver, I could only imagine the success that would continue on to the next chapter of his life.

It killed me to just think of him buried in a grave when he should be spending today with all his loved ones. There was no feeling worse than the hurt and pain that engulfed me at that moment.

More than once, I would have the sudden desire to avenge Nick's death by hunting down the man that'd taken his life and killing him myself. I was aware of the consequences, but I just couldn't stand the fact that he got to survive while Nick's corpse was rotting away.

Once I was able to hold myself together, I took out my phone and dialed Mrs. Schneider's number. After a couple rings, she picked up.

"Claire? Is that you?"

"Yes, it's me, Mrs. Schneider. How are you?"

"Oh sweetie, I thought I'd never hear from you again. I'm doing fine. How about you?", she asked warmly.

"I'm doing good, too."

"That's nice to hear. Wow, I can't believe how long it's been since we've last spoken."

"I know. I miss you and your husband so much," I said with remorse.

"We miss you too, darling. You stopped visiting us ever since your father passed away and never called. Why?" She sounded hurt and my heart ached for her.

The truth was, I didn't want a single person to know about my arranged marriage to Derek, especially Nick's parents. They were aware of how much I loved their son and getting married to another man after his death just seemed so awful.

"Mrs. Schneider, there's something I have to tell you," I spoke, letting out a long sigh.

"What is it, dear?"

And so, I told her everything. From the day my father had passed away to my current life in California as Derek's wife.

"Mrs. Schneider, if your son were still alive, I would've married him in a heartbeat," I said with a soft laugh to lighten up the conversation.

"Claire, Andrew and I had always wanted you as our daughter-in-law. And as for Nick, I couldn't imagine him marrying any other girl but you. He loved you a lot, you know. He might not have told you, but there was no denying it."

"He  _did_ tell me...t-the day he passed away."

My bottom lip began to tremble, and I bit it to stop myself from crying, but it was too late. As the tears came, so did my emotions that I'd been trying to contain while talking to Mrs. Schneider.

"E-excuse me," I apologized, my voice shaking.

"Oh, sweetheart." By the sound of it, she was crying as well.

"I-I just wanted to wish your son a happy birthday. I promise I'll come visit soon."

"You have no idea how much your call means to me. We thought you'd forgotten us."

"I could never forget you. You guys were like family to me."

"We love you, dear. Well, I'll let you go now. Good bye, Claire."

"Take care, Mrs. Schneider."

As soon as she disconnected the call, I threw my phone onto the ground and completely broke down.

"Why did you have to leave me, Nick?", I wailed into the pillow.

I was angry at the drunk driver, the world, and a complete emotional wreck.

I spent the entire morning and afternoon in bed with sweatpants and a tank top on, not even bothering to shower or eat. I just felt so dead inside.

Around two, the home phone began to ring as I was on the verge of falling asleep. I groaned and reached for it on the nightstand.

"Hello?", I croaked.

 _Holy_ _crap, my voice..._

"Whoa, are you ok? You sound like you've been struck by the flu." Derek's tone was laced with concern.

"I'm perfectly fine," I lied, clearing my throat. 

"Alright then." However, he didn't sound convinced.

"You busy right now?"

"Yes, actually, so I can't talk much right now. Just wanted to check up on you. I'll see you tonight?"

"Yeah, I'll be home."

"Sounds good. Later, baby."

Just a simple call from Derek made me feel that much better. I could always depend on him to reassure me that things would be ok. I anticipated his return home more than ever. I'd had enough of being alone in this huge house the past few days.

Without him, it just didn't feel like a home.

I forced myself to get out of bed and took a shower. I didn't want my husband to come back from a business trip to see me looking like someone out of a horror movie.

A couple hours later, I'd fallen asleep on the living room couch while reading a book. I had a dream about none other than Nick, and in it, he and I were up in Duluth watching the sun set on Lake Superior.

I never wanted it to end, but unfortunately was woken up by the touch of a hand on my shoulder. My eyes slowly fluttered open to see my husband staring down at me.

"You're home!", I said happily, throwing my arms around his neck.

"Hi, Claire-Bear." He smiled, pulling me into a hug.

"I missed you so much," I mumbled into his chest, breathing in the familiar scent of his cologne and aftershave.

"I missed you, too."

He kissed my hair then pulled back to look at me. His blue eyes were full of worry as a hand reached out to cup my cheek. 

"Have you been crying?", he asked.

I slowly nodded my head and hugged my knees to my chest, staring down at my bare feet.

"It was Nick's birthday today," I spoke in a barely audible tone.

Derek let out a deep breath and when I glanced up at him, sympathy was written all over his face. And there was something else too; I just couldn't pinpoint what it was.

_Disappointment?_

_But why?_

"Oh, Claire,  I should've been here with you," he said, wrapping his arms around my body and pulling me into his chest. 

"It's alright. I'm fine now," I reassured.

"You look thinner," he remarked, raising a brow.

"I haven't eaten yet today," I admitted.

"And what about yesterday and the day before?"

"I ate, but not that much."

He sighed and shook his head, standing up with his arms crossed in front of his chest.

"You see why I wanted you to come with me? When you're home alone, you spend all your time grieving about Nick and you don't eat." His face was serious.

"That's not true. It was just today," I quickly objected. "And I guess when you're not home to eat with me, I just don't have as big an appetite."

A smile began to tug at Derek's lips as he shoved his hands into his pockets. He looked so handsome in his suit right now, I just wanted to kiss him over and over again.

"Is that true?", he asked teasingly.

"Yes," I confessed shyly.

"Well, if that's the case, let's go eat dinner right now. You  _and_ me," he said with a wink.

"Oh my god, I forgot to make dinner," I blurted, quickly jumping off the couch and about to run to the kitchen when I felt Derek's strong grip on my arm.

"How about I make dinner tonight? You've had a pretty rough day," he offered, giving me a sad smile.

"But what about you? Aren't you tired?"

"I'm perfectly fine. So, what do you want to eat?"

"Something basic. We both know your cooking has its limits."

"I can do basic." He grinned.

For the first time, I was the one getting the wine as Derek prepared a Caesar salad and some grilled chicken. Surprisingly, they both tasted quite good. Maybe one day, he could even outdo my chef skills.

While we ate, he brought me up to date on his current hotel project, and I listened in admiration. I loved how he was so passionate about his work.

When I asked if he'd done anything exciting in LA, he said that he'd gone surfing at Malibu. No wonder he looked tanner than usual. 

Neither of us mentioned Ashley, which put my mind at ease. My relationship with my husband was going so well, and I did not need her to bring trouble to it. I doubted that she'd do anything, though. He kept a firm ground when it came to her.

That night, I lay in bed in the comfort of Derek's arms. It felt so good to have him by my side again. Three days without him had seemed like weeks.

It was then that I vowed to never decline another invitation of his to go on a business trip with him. I couldn't stand being alone.

He'd been right. When I was by myself, Nick would consume most of my thoughts. And I didn't want that. I wanted to move on and be happy.

"Good night, Derek," I said, turning my head to give him a peck on the lips.

"Good night, baby."

My back was pressed against his front, the heat from his body warming mine. His fingers lazily drew circles on my hip, and I slowly closed my eyes.

"Happy birthday, Nick," I mumbled to myself before drifting off to sleep.

 


	26. Homecoming

 

I was standing outside Derek's study, awkwardly shuffling my feet as I played with the zipper of my sweatshirt. I could hear him talking on the phone, and so I waited to open the door.  
  
It was a Friday morning, and he'd decided to stay home to get some of his work done. I, on the other hand, was about to leave for a seven-hour road trip to Palo Alto.  
  
Tomorrow was the Stanford Homecoming football game against Ohio State University. Both Charlotte and I would be attending it, along with Elliot and a couple of his friends as well.  
  
I doubted we'd even win, though, because let's face it, the Buckeyes were amazing. I remembered when they won the College Football Championship last year. But who knew, we might get lucky tomorrow and end up defeating them.  
  
Unfortunately, Derek couldn't come with me because he had to work this entire weekend. Now that construction was nearing completion for the new hotel over in Sydney, his company had been busier than ever.  
  
When I didn't hear him talking anymore, I opened the door and headed towards his desk just as he was getting up. His face brightened, and he gave me a playful grin.  
  
"You sure look happy to leave."  
  
"Aww, Derek, you know I didn't want you to be home alone all weekend," I said, pinching his cheek.  
  
"I seriously have to sleep in that huge bed all by myself?" He pretended to pout.  
  
"You'll be fine. You're a big boy. " I smiled.  
  
"Eh, that's debatable."  
  
I laughed. Despite his tall, overpowering frame, he still acted like such a kid sometimes. There were days I'd honestly forget that he was my husband.  
  
For example, just two days ago, I'd been baking cupcakes for a fundraiser of his at work, and he would sneak in a lick or two of the spoon no matter how many times I'd told him not to.  
  
It was extremely annoying. Besides, I was sure none of his employees wanted his saliva in their cupcakes. But nonetheless, he was such a sweetheart.  
  
"Oh, and before I go, I have just one quick question."  
  
"What is it?", Derek asked.  
  
"Umm...well, you remember when we drove your BMW to La Jolla?"  
  
"Yeah?" He raised a brow.  
  
"It's totally up to you, but I was just w-wondering if....uh." I was stuttering and hesitantly looked up at my husband, who had an amused expression on his face.  
  
"You wanna drive my i8?"  
  
"Yes!", I replied eagerly, beaming like a six-year old before quickly adding, "If you let me, of course."  
  
"How good of a driver are you?"  
  
"Pretty good," I said with confidence. He rubbed the back of his neck, contemplating his decision.  
  
"I'm perfectly fine with letting you drive it to Stanford. I just don't want you to get in an accident or something like that. You know how fast that thing goes."  
  
He went to go grab the keys and I followed him, mentally doing a somersault as I fought to hide the excitement that was bursting inside of me.  
  
When we were both standing in the garage, he gave me a stern look. My small suitcase was next to me and I double-checked to make sure that I had everything.  
  
"You sure you can drive this thing?", he asked in a serious tone.  
  
"Positive," I assured him. I was about to reach for the keys from his hand, but he snatched them away from my grasp.  
  
"And one more thing. Please be careful. It's my baby, and I don't want to see anything happen to it or my wife."  
  
I couldn't help the dumb smile that formed on my lips.  
  
"And what about your other three babies?"  
  
"I love them, too. But the i8 is my favorite. " He grinned and pulled me into his chest, snaking his arms around my waist.  
  
"Don't worry, I'm not a wild driver."  
  
"I know. But in bed you are," he mumbled huskily before capturing my lips in a kiss.  
  
It felt like an eternity until we finally pulled away from each other, both struggling to catch our breaths. I went to put my suitcase into the trunk, and then Derek threw me the car keys.  
  
"Have fun, Claire-Bear!", he called out as I was backing from the driveway.  
  
"See you Sunday!" I blew him a kiss.  
  
The first couple of minutes behind the wheel in Derek's BMW almost felt dreamlike. I'd always wanted to drive a fancy sports car my entire life, and now here I was, cruising down the freeway.  
  
It was extremely easy to over speed in this thing. 90 mph felt like 60mph, and so I had to be extra cautious.  
  
When I picked up Charlotte at her house, she came rushing towards the car, squealing with excitement. Her boyfriend had already left for Stanford in a different car with his friends.  
  
"Oh my god, did you win the lottery or something?", she exclaimed as she set her suitcase in the trunk on top of mine.  
  
"No, it's Derek's," I said with a laugh.  
  
"Damn, he's loaded. But hey, what can I say? A sexy guy needs a sexy car, right?"  
  
We both started giggling like idiots.  
  
The first thing I noticed when Charlotte got inside the car was the sparkly diamond ring on her left hand. She saw me looking at it and then a huge smile spread on her face.  
  
"Elliot proposed to me yesterday."  
  
"Oh my gosh, Char, congrats!"  
  
I gave my best friend a giant bear hug and couldn't help the tears of joy that were escaping my eyes. It felt like yesterday when we first met back in college, and now here we were, one of us already married while the other was newly engaged.  
  
 _My, how time flies._ _  
_  
"Will you be my maid of honor at the wedding?", she asked.  
  
"Of course, Mrs. Soon-to-be Corbin," I replied with a smile.  
  
A half hour later, we pulled onto scenic Highway 101 that ran from Southern California all the way up to Washington, speeding past beaches and valleys.  
  
 _This was gonna be one fun weekend._ _  
_  
***  
  
As we approached the football stadium, which was entirely packed in a sea of red and white, I began to feel the familiar rush of adrenaline and excitement I always had before a game.  
  
Everyone was sporting their Stanford apparel, with the exception of two or three guys that were Buckeyes fans. I zipped up my black North Face puffer vest that I wore over a Stanford crew neck, shoving my hands deep into the pockets as a chilly breeze blew through the trees.  
  
Unlike San Diego- which was always warm and sunny- up here in Palo Alto, it was much colder and cloudy most days. The temperatures weren't necessarily low, it was mainly just the winds.  
  
"Have you heard of Seth Johnsen?", Matt, one of Elliot's friends, asked me.  
  
"Isn't he one of our linebackers?" I remembered seeing him at a few of the college parties Charlotte and I had attended in the past.  
  
"Yeah. He's got a record of having the most sacks in the Pac-12."  
  
"Wow, that's impressive," I commented.  
  
There were six of us total right now- me, Charlotte and Elliot, Matt, Blake, and Paige. Charlotte and I were staying at Paige's apartment for the weekend located just three minutes off-campus.  
  
The three of us had been close friends in college. Paige majored in pharmacy and was currently studying to get her Doctor's degree.  
  
I honestly missed being in college, but I loved the life I had right now with Derek. Soon, I'd be working too, so that was something else to look forward to.  
  
After the pre-game festivities finished, everyone settled down and got ready for the first quarter. We got to kickoff first and my eyes scanned the field for number 12, Seth Johnsen.  
  
Ohio State's offensive line was incredible and managed to score two touchdowns in a span of just three minutes. Indeed Matt was right, for it hadn't even been halftime yet and Johnsen already managed to sack Ohio's quarterback three times.  
  
When a bad call was made against us by the official, Matt and several other guys stood up, swearing and punching their fists in the air. This game wasn't going too well for us. Hopefully, the last two quarters would be in our favor.  
  
During halftime, I headed down to the concession area to grab a soda. While waiting in line, I heard the sound of a cough behind me and turned around.  
  
"Delaney, is that you?"  
  
It was none other than Grant Easton- the most popular football player back when I was in college. He always threw the biggest parties and even had a crush on me. But I only saw him as a friend.  
  
"It's Weston now. Not Delaney," I said with a smile. His jaw fell to the ground.  
  
"You're married?"  
  
"Yup. And you remember Charlotte? She's engaged."  
  
"Wow, and I'm still stuck in college," he said with a lopsided grin.  
  
"Why aren't you playing?"  
  
"I tore my ACL," he replied with a heavy sigh, pointing down at the walking brace he was currently using for his left leg.  
  
"Ouch, that sucks."  
  
"I know right. Well, hey I'm having a frat party tonight so you and Char should come over. Bring Elliot too and whoever else you want to. It'll be fun."  
  
"Sounds good." I smiled.  
  
I told Charlotte about Grant's party when I got back to my seat, and she was more than willing to go. We managed to tie the Buckeyes 21-21 by the end of the third quarter. It wasn't until the last two minutes of the game when we finally managed to intercept the ball and score the winning touchdown.  
  
Everyone stood up and cheered, and the football players stormed the field as red and white confetti filled the air. We waited awhile for the crowd to leave before heading down to the players' bench.  
  
Seth was doing an interview with ESPN and when he finished, we ran over to congratulate him. His green eyes were lit up with pure joy and he couldn't stop smiling. I had a feeling he'd be playing in the NFL pretty soon.  
  
That night, we were all gathered at the frat house for Grant's party. I managed to catch up with a few old friends that were still in college. Before we could get any alcohol in our systems, a bunch of people asked to try out Derek's BMW.  
  
Since I didn't trust any of them driving it, I just offered to drive around anyone that wanted to join me. The whole night, girls kept asking me how I managed to marry a guy as well-known and wealthy as Derek and all I would say was, "I met him one day when I was visiting San Diego and we fell in love."  
  
I completely made it up, but I didn't want them to know the truth.  
  
Around one in the morning, I decided that it was time to leave. First of all, it was late. Second, there were drunk guys and girls passed out all over the floor. And last, my ear drums were aching from the music Grant had blasted through the speakers.  
  
I'd had a few drinks myself and just wanted to go back to Paige's and sleep. Elliot and his friends had decided to stay here overnight since none of them were sober enough to drive.  
  
"Come on, let's go," I said to Charlotte.  
  
"You sure you can drive?"  
  
"I feel a bit light-headed, but it's fine. Trust me, no cop will pull us over. I mean, Paige only lives three minutes from here."  
  
"Wow, for once you're the 'rebel' one." She gave me a proud smile.  
  
"Oh, shut up. I'm not a rebel."  
  
"Whatever you say."  
  
After grabbing our purses, we thanked Grant for having us over. He reeked of alcohol and looked completely worn out. His torn ACL obviously hadn't gotten in the way of him having a good time.  
  
When we got in the car, I started the engine and barely even made it out of the driveway when I heard a loud "boom" and felt myself suddenly jerk forward from the impact of something hitting the rear.  
  
"SHIT!"  
  
I began to panic and muttered a million curses to myself as I quickly turned off the engine and ran outside. Charlotte followed close behind.  
  
There was a noticeable dent on the left side by the brake light where the car had hit the mailbox.  
  
"You hit a mailbox?!", Charlotte exclaimed.  
  
"I swear, I did not see it through the rearview mirrors!", I protested. It was true. I saw everything else  _but_  that mailbox. It'd been obstructed from my view.  
  
"Oh."  
  
"God, I'm so dead," I muttered under my breath.  
  
I began pacing the driveway like a man chicken, thinking about how doomed I was. And as crazy as it sounded, I was even planning a list of people I'd invite to my own funeral when Charlotte grabbed my arm, holding me still.  
  
"Hey, this wasn't your fault. It's pitch dark out, and you're tired," she said in a calming tone.  
  
"It  _is_  my fault."  
  
"Claire, we can deal with this tomorrow. Let's get back to Paige's now. And don't worry, I'll talk to Derek about it, too."  
  
Despite how hard I tried to use Charlotte's words as a source of comfort, I just couldn't. During the short drive to Paige's, my bottom lip began to tremble, and I had to force myself not to cry in front of my best friend.  
  
Derek and I were doing so well but after this incident, he was probably never going to talk to me ever again. I didn't blame him. He'd trusted me with his most prized possession, and I'd damaged it.  
  
At that moment, I just wanted to disappear into thin air and wished that this had never happened. Because I was not ready to face my husband tomorrow when I got home.  
  
 _He was going to kill me._

 


	27. A Shocking Sight

"You sure you don't want me to explain the incident with the mailbox to Derek?"

"Yes. It was my fault and therefore my responsibility to deal with. Thanks, though," I said to Charlotte, smiling gratefully.

"Well, let's hope all goes well."

She gave me a hug then hopped out of the car just as Elliot was turning into the driveway. I waved good-bye to them both before heading towards my own house.

To say that I was experiencing nervousness right now would be an understatement. It was more along the lines of a major panic attack and fear for my life.

Sweat began to form on my palms, and the sudden increase of blood flow rushing through my veins caused me to feel faint. My heart was beating so fast, I wouldn't be surprised if it jumped out of my chest any minute.

As I neared my neighborhood, an internal battle arose as I debated whether to drive straight home or head to the grocery store. The truth was, we still had an ample amount of food at home, but I wasn't ready to face Derek yet.

My fear got the better of me, and I ended up choosing the latter. If Charlotte were here, she'd probably laugh at my attempt to stall like this. The moment the light turned green, I did a quick u-turn and drove back onto I-5, sighing in relief.

After spending a pointless hour inside of Ralphs, I finally decided to head on home. It was nearly eight already, and I couldn't hide from my husband forever. So, I put my big girl pants on and walked out the store with a single carton of milk in my hand.

Upon my arrival, Derek stood on the porch, phone in hand and busy typing away. As I pulled into the driveway, he glanced up and his eyes widened in surprise.

I gulped nervously, turning off the engine before mustering up the courage to drag my butt out of the car. The moment Derek saw me, he came rushing in my direction with a look of horror on his face.

"Oh my god, Claire, what happened?", he exclaimed, grabbing both my cheeks with his hands.

"I-I'm so sorry. T-there was a mailbox but-," I began to explain, stuttering like an idiot when he interrupted me.

"You hit my car into a mailbox?!" His tone raised an octave and I stared at the ground, drowning in a sea of guilt.

Derek's eyes wildly scanned over the damage done to his BMW, his fingers running over very scratch and dent as he cursed under his breath.

"We'll talk about this inside," he said bitterly, turning on his heel to head towards the house.

I reluctantly followed him, setting my suitcase by the stairs then went to put the milk in the fridge. When I got to the living room, Derek was standing with his arms folded across his chest. His angry expression beared no hint of sympathy, and I was more scared than ever.

"How the hell did this happen?", he demanded authoritatively.

"Charlotte and I were at a party," I responded.

"And then what?"

His eyes were locked on mine, and I braced myself for the outburst I knew was about to come.

"We both had a couple drinks."

"My god, Claire, don't tell me you were drunk when you got in the car." He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration, mentally praying to God to give him the strength to not kill me then and there.

_Well, at_ _least_ _that seemed like what he_ _was_ _doing._

"I wasn't! I was quite sober."

" _Quit_ e sober?!", he yelled.

"I might have felt a bit light-headed, but other than that, I was perfectly fine!", I insisted.

"Damn it, Claire, what's the matter with you?!" He was beyond furious, his eyes blazing with pure outrage.

"It wasn't my fault! I was just backing out of the driveway, and that mailbox came out of nowhere. You have to believe me, Derek," I pleaded.

"Haven't you already learned a lesson about drinking and driving? Look at your friend, Nick. Huh, who took away his life? Tell me!"

Derek's words had hit deep, like a punch to my stomach, and at that moment, I couldn't take it anymore.

"Please stop yelling at me!", I shouted, sinking down onto the couch as I began to cry. I thought I could handle this myself,  but when he brought up Nick, my emotions had spiraled out of control.

Derek exhaled deeply, slowly making his way towards me. I inched my body away from him, curling up into a ball.

"Claire...," he spoke gently, sitting down on the couch.

"I would never drink and drive. You know me better than that." I was barely able to utter the words as tears streamed down my face. Derek reached out to touch my arm, dragging me onto his lap.

"I know, baby. But what if you had had more alcohol in your system? Something terrible could've happened."

"Yeah, but I didn't. I thought that since my friend, Paige, lived only three minutes away, I'd have nothing to worry."

"You can't just assume things like that!"

"Charlotte didn't let me drive at first. I should've listened to her and waited to leave in the morning, so I could actually see the mailbox. God, I'm so stupid."

"You're not stupid, sweetheart. Just promise me you'll be more careful next time," he said, brushing my tears away with his thumb.

"I promise." I gave him a small smile.

"Do you have any idea how devastated I'd be if you'd gotten hurt? My car is replaceable, but my wife," he leaned down to kiss my nose, "is not".

A blush crept onto my cheeks, and I crawled off Derek's lap, sitting next to him on the couch as I rested my head against his shoulder.

"Don't worry about the BMW, ok? I'll get it repaired during the week," he reassured with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

Derek wasn't one to mask his feelings very well. I knew that inside, he was extremely upset about the whole accident. He took such good care of his cars, and now his most treasured one was damaged because of me.

"What were you doing standing outside?", I asked.

"I just wanted to get some fresh air. Anyway, I heard you guys won yesterday."

"Yeah, we did."

"That's amazing, especially against a team like Ohio's. Whose party did you go to?"

"Grant Easton's."

"Who's that?" Derek sounded slightly jealous.

_And yes,_ _I_ _was gonna have some fun with it._

"He's a football player and  _ver_ y handsome. We made out back in college," I said nonchalantly.

"Oh, really? What else did you guys do?" Derek played along with my made-up story. 

"Why don't you ask him yourself? He'll probably tell you about the time we went skinny dipping our junior year."

His blue eyes narrowed into slits, and I knew I'd gone too far. He was about to pounce on me when I let out a loud yelp and quickly jumped off the couch, sprinting to the other end of the house.

Derek's rapid footsteps were hot on my trail as he chased me all over the entire first floor. It felt like I was reliving my childhood days all over again.

"I'm gonna get you, Claire!", I heard him yell. I couldn't help but laugh at his playful behavior.

Eventually, I found myself trapped in the kitchen and began to panic. Derek was stealthily approaching when I quickly spotted an escape- the sliding door.

I stuck my tongue out at him and before he could grab me, I ducked under his arm and opened the door, dashing outside.

A couple moments later, I stopped to catch my breath, glancing around to see if Derek was anywhere to be found. But there was no sign of him. So, I began to make my way back inside.

"Gave up so soon?"

I spun around at the sound of his deep voice, and my eyes widened in horror as he came charging full speed at me from behind the tool shed.

I tried to run, but it was too late. His arms latched onto my waist, and we both fell backwards into the pool, creating the biggest splash I'd ever seen.

My tshirt became absolutely drenched, and I quickly popped my head out of the water to see my husband's despicable- yet so sexy- face staring back at me. He was smirking, and my eyes shot daggers at him.

"You bast-!", I was about to yell when he covered my mouth with his, preventing any further words from being spoken.

I tried to push him away, but he only held on tighter.

"Stop fighting me," Derek mumbled against my lips, his voice thick with lust and desire.

I was completely turned on and immediately surrendered myself to him. He trailed his hand that was resting on my hip upward, giving my breast a firm squeeze.

I moaned against his mouth, and he used it as an oportunity to slide his tongue in, running it over my own. His hands cupped my ass, and he lifted me up as I wrapped my legs around his waist.

He began to walk forward in the water until my back hit the hard edge of the pool, and I grabbed the hem of my wet tshirt, pulling it over my head before discarding it on the chaise longue. 

My body was craving Derek so badly right now; I didn't even care if we were in a pool. I just needed him inside of me. Recently, I went on birth control, and so we didn't have to worry about condoms.

The moment his shirt was off, I began placing kisses along his neck as my hands explored the contours of his firm abs.

A deep groan rumbled in the back of his throat when I slipped my hand underneath his athletic shorts, stroking him through the thin material of his boxers.

"Ugh, fuck." His breathing hitched.

As the sexual frustration increased, we both worked to rid each other of the rest of our damp clothing before Derek's lips went back to devouring mine. I savored his sweet taste, letting it consume all my thoughts.

And soon, we were lost in each other under the blanket of the starry, night sky.

***

My boss wasn't lying when he'd said that I'd be working long hours. It was only my second week on the job, and already, three of the five days I'd worked had been 12-hour shifts.

Two weeks ago, the lady who had interviewed me called to announce that I'd been given the financial analyst position. Words couldn't describe how happy and excited I had felt.

Not only would I be busy everyday instead of boring myself to death at home, I'd also be making quite a lot of money on my own. I hated having to depend on someone else's income, no matter how rich they were. For me, independence was key. 

And of course, the best part about work was getting to see Charlotte on a regular basis. Her office was located directly across the hall from mine and around noon, we'd go to lunch together.

On a similar note, Derek had been working extremely long hours, too. I still managed to get home by eight every night, but that wasn't the case for him. If he were lucky, he'd be able to leave his office at nine the soonest.

I hadn't seen much of him the past two weeks. Even on the weekends, he was locked up in his study doing work. There was only a little over two months left before the grand opening of his hotel in Sydney. Until then, he'd be busy both day and night.

Yesterday, I'd called Derek to see if he could make it home in time for dinner. Instead, he'd told me to not wait up for him since he was going out for some drinks with his friends.

I was slightly disappointed because we hadn't eaten together ever since I started working. And that was over a week ago. But I just kept it to myself, not wanting to cause any trouble.

That night, I'd just finished taking a nice, hot shower. There was no denying how exhausting work could be, especially on the long days.

After putting a robe on, I went downstairs to get some water before bed. The sound of heavy footsteps echoed in the hall, and immediately, my face brightened as I ran towards the source of them.

"Derek!", I greeted excitedly with outstretched arms, colliding into his hard body as his back hit the garage door.

"Whoa, easy there, baby," he said with a stunned expression, pushing me away with his hands. A look of dismay clouded my face, and I felt hurt that he didn't hug me back.

"What's wrong?", I asked. 

"Nothing, I'm just tired," he replied wearily, pinching the bridge of his nose. 

"Oh, I understand."

Derek brushed past me without saying another word and headed upstairs to our bedroom. I followed him and went to lie down while he took a shower, eventually falling into a deep sleep.

On Friday morning, I was in an especially good mood. Derek had bought tickets to the Kings game, so we were driving up to LA tomorrow to see it. He had waited for a match-up against the Blackhawks since he knew they were my favorite team.

It'd also be a great way for us to spend some quality time together. Lately, he'd been acting kind of distant towards me, and I almost feared that our relationship was going downhill.

But in the end, his behavior was all due to work, and so I tried to stop worrying about it too much.

"Good morning, boss," I greeted cheerfully when I stepped into my office.

My boss was a man in his late forties named, Paul Williams. He had a wonderful personality and strong work ethic.

"Hello, Claire. If you could look at the upcoming budget plans for me today, that'd be great."

"I'm on it."

"Perfect. I'll see you later then. Have a good day."

A huge stack of papers was already waiting for me on the desk. I set my purse on the ground then sat down, smoothing out my pencil skirt.

_This was gonna be a long day._

During our lunch break, Charlotte and I ate at the new French café down the block. Their mouth-watering pastries were to die for, and I opted to buy a slice of tiramisu to bring to Derek since I still had some time left. I knew he would love it.

Weston Hotel Group was located just two blocks away from the café, so I didn't have to drive. When I arrived, I took the elevator up to the very top floor and was greeted by a young receptionist.

"Hi, how may I help you?"

"Could you tell me where Derek's office is? I'm surprising him with some cake from the new bakery," I said with a smile. 

"Oh, you must be his wife! It's a pleasure to meet you." She shook my hand. "I could sure use some cake right now myself."

We both laughed and then she led me down the hall to a set of large double-doors. I'd never been inside Derek's office before, but I was assuming it was quite nice.

"You can just go on in. I'm sure he'll be glad to see you," she said.

"Thank you."

The receptionist smiled then went back to her desk.

The moment I opened the heavy door, my jaw dropped to the ground in utter shock at the sight before me. Any color I had on my face instantly drained until I was left pale like a ghost.

Clinging to the edge of sanity, I blinked twice to make sure that my eyes weren't deceiving me as my heart began shattering into a million pieces.

_I_ _couldn't_ _believe_ _it..._


	28. Three Little Words

 

After the death of Nick and my father, I had thought I'd be incapable of experiencing that gut wrenching pain ever again. But for some reason, the scene in front of me hurt so much worse.

The woman I hated most was standing pressed up against my husband with her lips locked on his. Her fingers grabbed at the collar of his shirt, pulling him dangerously close.

I just stood there frozen like a statue, feeling the sharp edge of a knife drive through my heart. At that moment, Derek spun around to look in the direction of the door, pushing Ashley away from him.

His blue eyes met mine, and he instantly grew pale as he stared at me in absolute shock and horror. Simmering with fury, I stormed towards him, my heels echoing throughout the entire room.

"Claire-," he began when Ashley interrupted.

"Um, you could've at least knocked?" Her tone was glacial, and she shot me an accusatory look.

I glared at her menacingly, feeling the anger rush through my veins as I directed my attention to Derek. Before he could utter a single word, I did what I'd wanted most ever since I stepped foot inside his office.

I slapped him.

"Oh, and enjoy your cake," I said scornfully, taking the tiramisu out of its box and rubbing it all over his face.

Ashley stood there with her mouth hanging wide open in disbelief, and I turned to look at her as well.

"And you? Go to hell!", I spat, my voice laced with venom. She laughed contemptuously, and it took every fiber of my being to not wring her neck.

By then, Derek had managed to wipe off some of the cake with his hand, and he winced in pain when it came in contact with his cheek, which was now red from where I'd hit him. Seeing his face only angered me even more, so I began to exit the office.

On my way out, I heard the sound of his steady footsteps behind me and quickly increased my pace as he continued to call my name.

I was about to reach the elevator, but being the klutz that I was in high heels, tripped over my own foot and nearly fell when a pair of strong arms caught me.

Breathing a sigh of relief, I turned around to thank the person, but grew sick to my stomach when I saw who it was.

"Claire, stop run-",

"Get the hell away from me," I ordered. Derek dropped his hands in defeat.

The moment the elevator door opened, I quickly got inside, and the look of despair in his eyes was the last thing I saw before it closed shut.

When I walked into Wells Fargo, I told my boss that I wasn't feeling well, and he let me take the remainder of the day off. Once I was in the shelter of my own car, the tears of hurt and pain poured down my face, and I cried like never before, wishing the earth would just swallow me whole.

***

I had no idea how many hours I lay limp on the couch, but I just didn't have the will to eat or shower like I normally would at this time. At least I'd changed into a comfy tank top and pajama pants.

Never in my life had I thought that I'd ever behave like this, crying over a man that wasn't even worth my tears. I felt so stupid falling for him in the first place when instead, I should've guarded my heart. He'd trampled all over it, leaving me alone to fix the wounds.

What hurt the most was the fact that Derek had betrayed me, breaking his promise to never leave my side. Every night, we shared the same bed, but all this time, Ashley had been the one occupying his thoughts.

I never should've trusted him.

It was then that I finally decided to get up, stretching my aching muscles before heading to the kitchen to grab some water. The sound of the garage door opening caught my attention and I groaned, praying that Derek would just disappear.

His footsteps grew louder as they neared the kitchen until halting right in front of me. I turned my head away, refusing to look at that deceiving face of his.

"We need to talk," he said firmly, tossing his suit jacket on the stool.

"There's nothing to talk about," I muttered under my breath.

"Yes there is. Why did you just run away like that without letting me explain anything?" His tone was impatient.

"Explain what? How you and Ashley were locking lips?!"

He let out a heavy sigh.

"Sweetheart...,"

"Don't you ever call me that again!" I pointed an accusatory finger at him and stormed towards the living room, fighting the tears that were threatening to escape.

Derek followed close behind and suddenly grabbed my arm, spinning me around to face him. His expression was pained and grave, making him look older than he actually was. Everything about him screamed 'guilty' at that moment, which I knew he was.

"You're a liar, you know that? You haven't been working long hours. You've been screwing Ashley," I said coldly.

Derek was filled with indignation at my words, and his jaw tensed as he began clenching his fists.

"You have no idea what you're talking about," he spoke through gritted teeth.

"How could you, Derek? You promised that you'd never leave me. But you did. For Ashley. The two of you might as well get back together already. I'll go find somewhere else to live," I managed to utter through my sobs.

"Claire...,"

"God, how could I have been so blind? The entire week you acted distant towards me, I'd thought it was because of stress from work, but now...,"

"Will you just listen to me?!", Derek's voice boomed.

I shrank underneath his heated gaze, noticing how the veins had popped out of his forehead. He was beyond fed up.

"Ashley fucking kissed me first. She came into my office to deliver a file, and after handing it to me, I thought she'd leave. Instead, she just grabbed my face and started kissing me.

"I tried pulling away, but it was too late. You'd already seen everything," he explained. "Believe me, Claire, I never wanted anything to do with her."

"You're lying! I saw you kissing her back," I retorted.

"My lips were shut the entire time! Why can't you believe that?!", he yelled in frustration.

"The inability to remain faithful to your spouse is something your mom passed on to you, huh? Well, I can see it clearly now. You're just like her," I said with a humorless laugh, crossing my arms in front of my chest.

"Shut the fuck up, Claire. This isn't about my mom. It's about  _yo_ u not trusting me!"

"Bullshit! You honestly expect me to believe that story? The one day I decide to go to your office, I see you two kissing. What else am I supposed to think? That you've been fucking her behind my back as well?!"

His face was glowering, and I cringed when he knocked a crystal vase to the ground, smashing it to pieces.

"You're so stubborn, damn it!", he shouted.

"This whole time we've been together, you never even cared about me." My entire body shook as I cried, falling back onto the couch.

"You think I don't care about you?" Derek's voice cracked, dropping to a mere whisper, and I glanced up into his frosty blue eyes.

He briefly closed them, exhaling sharply as he rubbed his temples in an attempt to calm himself down.

"Do you have any idea how worried I get whenever I leave you home alone? I try my damn best to make you happy but the majority of the time, you're always feeling so sad and hopeless. You even told me once that you were suicidal in the past," he said gravely.

"I'm not suffering from depression if that's what you're saying," I snapped.

"You cry in your sleep, Claire. Some nights, I hear you calling out his name. Who's to say you might do something to hurt yourself when I'm not at home? I know that he's all you think about when I'm gone."

As I stood there in silence absorbing Derek's revelations, he went to grab a bottle of scotch from the cupboard. When he came back, he sat down on the couch and began indulging himself in the alcohol.

I didn't want him going overboard like he did last time with the vodka, so I spoke up just as he was about to pour his fifth glass.

"Derek, stop. You're gonna get drunk."

"Why do you care?", he snapped, his bleak, near vacant eyes growing remote as he downed yet another shot of scotch.

"Because I don't want you to do something you'll regret."

"Hell, now you think I'd lay a hand on you, too? What type of guy do you think I am?"

He stood up to his full height, glaring down at me with so much fury, I couldn't help but feel slightly intimidated. Nonetheless, I had to remain forceful.

"Well, how am I supposed to trust you now after what happened today?"

" _Nothin_ g happened. Jesus, Claire, if we don't have trust, then what's left of us?"

"Don't you dare turn this on me. The only person at fault right now is  _you_!", I yelled, jabbing his hard chest with my finger.

"I didn't fucking kiss Ashley! She kissed  _me_!", he lashed out in protest.

"Didn't kiss her, my ass," I muttered under my breath.

Derek slammed his hand on the table, causing me to jump out of my skin.

"You know what, Claire? I'm done arguing with you and putting up with your bullshit," he spat vehemently, pushing me aside as he stormed out of the living room.

At that moment, I wanted to just take my car and leave, but then decided against it since it was already late and I was in no state of mind to drive. I'd end up ripping off the steering wheel or crashing into a tree.

So, I ran upstairs to my old room and slammed the door as hard as I could before collapsing onto the bed. I couldn't remember a time I was ever this furious at anybody. Derek had not only cheated on me, but lied about it, too.

Yet, a part of me believed that everything he'd said was true. Burying my face in the soft pillow, I cried myself to sleep, feeling more torn than ever.

Outside, the weather mirrored the current hostility between us, raining heavily as lightning flashed across the sky. Loud claps of thunder rattled the windows, and I curled up into a ball, covering my ears with the pillow.

_Please let this all be a nightmare._

_***_

Throughout the night, I drifted in and out of sleep. It was around two in the morning when my bedroom door opened and a pair of footsteps entered quietly, careful not to make any noise.

Even though it was dark, I could distinguish Derek's tall figure standing beside my bed, still clad in his shirt and dress pants from work and reeking of scotch. Unaware that I was awake, he bent down and gently brushed his lips against my cheek, taking me by surprise.

"You can always trust me, sweetheart. I would never break my promise." His voice was strained with emotion.

Then, there was a brief pause followed by three little words.

"I love you."

He stroked my hair, placing one last kiss on my forehead.

I immediately stilled and slowly, every vengeful thought I'd had earlier about him faded into the back of my mind.

After he adjusted my blanket, I felt a longing for his warm presence next to me. But instead, I found myself listening to the sound of his departing footsteps until everything grew silent once more.

I fully opened my eyes and looked over to the closed bedroom door as tears began trickling down my cheeks.

_I'm_ _sorry, Derek._

 


	29. Waiting

The dark, lonely hours dragged by agonizingly slow, and I'd almost thought that dawn would never come again. After Derek had left my room last night, I couldn't sleep a wink.

  
As a ray of sunlight peeked through the curtains, I felt more conflicted than ever about my feelings for him. Everything had been going so well for us, but then it'd come crashing down like a storm. All because he was incapable of drawing the line between him and Ashley.  
  
But what if he didn't want to?  
  
Then it finally dawned on me. My husband had hired Ashley to work for him with the intention of keeping their close friendship. No matter how much he denied it, I knew that he'd always have feelings for her.  
  
 _But he loves **you**_ , my subconscious reminded.  
  
I sighed heavily, nestling into my pillow as I stared up at the ceiling. Honestly, I didn't even know anymore. My relationship with Derek had never been an easy one, but now, I began to fear that it was on the edge of a cliff, struggling to survive.  
  
Regret consumed me as I remembered the hurtful things I'd said to him yesterday evening. More than ever, I wanted to apologize to him, but I was afraid that he'd push me away.  
  
It felt like a giant rock had been placed between us, neither one choosing to climb across. I really hoped it wasn't going to be like this forever.  
  
Eventually, I decided that I couldn't stand the silence anymore and got out of bed, pulling on a hoodie over my tank top. My footsteps were light against the floor as I walked down the hall to Derek's room.  
  
The door was open and immediately, my heart sank as I saw the neatly made bed and unwrinkled sheets. He hadn't slept in here at all last night. My suspicion was confirmed when I went into the garage to see an empty space where his Range Rover was normally parked.  
  
 _Derek had left. And it was all my fault.  
  
_ Dragging myself upstairs, I felt lonelier than ever. I wished it was all just a dream and that he would walk through the front door any minute, but in reality, he was probably at a hotel right now and absolutely furious at me.  
  
A man could only keep his promise for so long until he'd finally had enough.  
  
I climbed back into bed and snuggled under the covers, blinking back tears. An hour later, I was about to fall asleep when I felt the mattress dip beneath me.  
  
"Derek?", I croaked, praying that it wasn't just my imagination. I winced, suddenly aware of how much my throat stung from screaming yesterday.  
  
"It's me, sweetheart. Are you alright?", he asked. My eyes fluttered open, and I looked up to see his kind, blue eyes gazing down at me intently.  
  
"Y-you came back."  
  
He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, his brows furrowed in confusion. That's when I noticed the huge bags under his eyes, and to say that he looked sleep-deprived would be an understatement.  
  
"I drove out to Pacific Beach and went for a run earlier. And like you said, I'm back now. What's with the surprised tone, though?"  
  
"I thought you left me," I said quietly.  
  
"Why would I leave you?"  
  
"Because of everything I said to you yesterday."  
  
I sat up straight, rubbing my eyes with the back of my hand then met his gaze.  
  
"Do you have any idea how rough last night was for me? I lay awake for hours worrying about you...about us," he said, running a hand through his hair.  
  
"I know. I'm so sorry, Derek. I never meant to say the things I did."  
  
I gently touched his arm, searching his eyes for any sign of anger but saw none. He was silent, and I sat there awaiting his response.  
  
"Are you mad at me?", I prodded.  
  
"Of course I am."  
  
"Well, it isn't all entirely my fault either."  
  
"Great, now we're back to this all over again." He rolled his eyes in annoyance, standing up to leave when I grabbed his arm.  
  
"Wait."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Why don't you fire Ashley? You already know she wants to ruin our marriage yet you still let her work for you. I just don't get it."  
  
I released Derek's arm and could feel the tears threatening to escape as I wiped them away with my hand. I was constantly fighting an internal battle with myself about whether or not to trust my husband, and quite frankly, I was tired of it.  
  
"And you better tell me the truth," I added.  
  
"Claire, ever since we got married, I haven't told you anything but the truth," he stated firmly without a hint of doubt.  
  
"God, I'm such a wreck," I said to myself with a dry laugh as I choked on my own tears. "I mean, look at me. I'm acting like some crazy idiot."  
  
Derek's expression became grave and he gathered me in his arms, burying his face in my hair.  
  
"You wanna know what's crazy? The fact that you had to go through the deaths of not only your best friend, but your father, too. You're not a wreck, sweetheart," he spoke with certainty.  
  
"But I'm broken."  
  
"Oh, Claire," he breathed, letting out a long sigh before pulling back to look at me.  
  
"I hate when we fight."  
  
"I do, too," he said with a sad smile, leaning in to kiss my forehead. "Come back to bed with me."  
  
"Why can't we talk here?"  
  
"This isn't  _our_  room."  
  
The edges of my lips curled into a weak smile and I got up, following him back to our room. He plopped onto the bed and opened his arms wide as I crawled into them, relaxing against his chest. I closed my eyes, inhaling the scent of his body wash and aftershave.  
  
 _Now **this**  was where I belonged._  
  
"You know, it took every cell of my body to not fire Ashley yesterday," Derek spoke, propping himself up on one elbow. "But the thing is, I can't."  
  
"Why not?", I asked.  
  
"She needs this job in order to pay off her college loans. I made a promise to her parents that as long as she worked for me, she'd never have to worry about being in debt."  
  
"Oh..."  
  
"But if it makes you happy, I sent her to work in Keith's department from now on."  
  
"You did?"  
  
He nodded his head.  
  
"It's about time," I said with a huff.  
  
His face split into a wide grin and he wrapped his arms around my waist, lightly kissing my neck.  
  
"I'm sorry I've been acting like a dick this past week. I'll do everything I can to make it up to you. Sound good?"  
  
"Yes." I smiled.  
  
We both lay there in silence, simply enjoying being in each other's arms again. It was then that I decided to bring up the subject I'd been dying to ask him about.  
  
"What you said to me last night...did you mean it?"  
  
"You were awake?", he asked incredulously.  
  
"I couldn't sleep the entire night either."  
  
"Claire, I meant every word I said. I love you. I never thought I would be capable of feeling this way about a woman. But I honestly can't imagine my life without you."  
  
The fiery, passionate look in his eyes held the depth and promise of his love, but for some reason, I just couldn't seem to reciprocate his words. Instead, I found myself staring out the window.  
  
"You don't love me, do you?", he mumbled.  
  
"I just need some time...to forget about yesterday, you know?"  
  
Out of the corner of my eye, I could see his face fall as a look of disappointment clouded his expression.  
  
"I understand," he said with a deep sigh.  
  
My heart ached for Derek and I hated to see him brooding like this, but it wouldn't be fair for me to just say that I loved him when I didn't mean it. He deserved better than that.  
  
"I can't believe I actually threw that cake at you yesterday," I remarked with a laugh, trying to lighten the atmosphere.  
  
"Yeah, me neither."  
  
When he still wasn't smiling, I began to grow worried.  
  
"Derek?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Are we ok?" The question came out as a mere whisper.  
  
"We'll always be ok." He hugged me tightly and I breathed a sigh of relief, resting my forehead against his.  
  
 _I sure hoped so..._  
  
 **Derek's POV**  
  
Being able to hold Claire in my arms again should've felt like enough. After all the hateful things she'd screamed at me yesterday, I was surprised she hadn't distanced herself or worse, left.  
  
But there was nothing more I'd wanted than to hear that she loved me back. I knew that I shouldn't ask too much of her because the painful truth was, she  _wa_ s broken.  
  
Even if Claire did love me, she probably wouldn't have said it. She was afraid something would happen in the future and then her worst nightmare would come to life.  
  
But how could I make her understand that I was never going to leave?  
  
Things would've been a lot less complicated if she'd simply told me that she still loved Nick. Yes, it'd hurt to accept it, but at least then I would know exactly what I meant to her.  
  
I watched the rise and fall of Claire's chest while she slept, reaching out to caress her cheek with the back of my hand. We'd both been lying in bed hours, neither one having the energy to get up.  
  
It's amazing how much my love for her had blossomed these past couple of months. It was true, I couldn't imagine living without her let alone not being able to see her.  
  
Every morning that I got to wake up next to my wife, I'd thank God for bringing her into my life. She easily could've been with another man- or worse yet, dead- had she decided to take her life that night.  
  
She deserved nothing but endless happiness and joy. And as I long as I lived, I would try to give her that.  
  
 _My beautifully broken angel..._  
  
It was around two in the afternoon when Claire woke up. She looked more lively and healthier than she had this morning. As she got out bed to go take a shower, I grabbed her arm, pulling her back until she collapsed on top of my chest.  
  
"What do you want?", she asked with a giggle, staring into my eyes. I smirked playfully then captured her lips in a kiss, rolling over so that I lay on top.  
  
Her hair fanned across the pillow, and I noticed the slight dilation of her pupils as I paused to catch my breath. Even in a hoodie and pajama bottoms, she looked more desirable than ever.  
  
I could feel the bulge growing in my boxers as I kissed her again, this time invading her mouth with my tongue. She moaned, and the sound was like music to my ears. I began to grind my hips against hers when to my utter dismay, she pulled away.  
  
"Nuh-uh. You're not getting any of this unless the Blackhawks win tonight."  
  
I stared at her with unblinking eyes.  
  
"Are you serious?"  
  
"Yup." She smirked.  
  
And with that, she wriggled out of my hold then headed to the bathroom. I couldn't help but chuckle to myself.  
  
 _Man, she was quite something._  
  
After eating a late lunch, we drove up to LA in my red pick-up truck. Claire had insisted we take it since it matched the color of her Kane jersey, and she'd claimed to be a huge fan of trucks.  
  
I, on the other hand, was sporting my black Kopitar jersey. The radio was on full blast as we bellowed out our favorite songs, from Sam Hunt's  _Leave the Night On_  to Walk the Moon's  _Shut Up and Dance._  
  
"Which singer are you a fan of but too embarrassed to admit?", she asked.  
  
"Ariana Grande," I said with a lopsided grin.  
  
Claire burst out laughing.  
  
"Hey, she has quite a lot of good songs." I playfully jabbed her in the ribs.  
  
"What else do I not know about you?"  
  
"That's it. For now." I smiled.  
  
When we arrived at Staples Center later that evening, I was glad to see Claire in such a happy mood. Even while she told me a story about how she and Nick got to meet Patrick Kane back then, she didn't seem sad or depressed.  
  
 _I guessed I could take her to hockey games more often now._  
  
We had center ice seats, and I snapped open a beer, leaning back in my chair to watch the game unfold. During the first period, the Hawks had quite a few outstanding players. Toews's backhand shot and Sharp's power play goal gave them a 2-0 lead.  
  
It warmed my heart to see Claire cheering and smiling every time the Hawks scored. I loved the Kings, but as long as she was happy, then I didn't care if they lost.  
  
"Looks like we won't be sleeping much tonight," I spoke in her ear at the end of the second intermission. Immediately, she began to blush.  
  
"You  _would_  bring that up now."  
  
I laughed and took another swig of beer, draping my arm over her shoulder.  
  
"I love you, Claire."  
  
She simply smiled and nestled against me.  
  
 _I could wait._

 


	30. Surprises

 

As soon as I heard the garage door close, signaling that Derek had left for work, I rolled out of bed, slipping on a robe to wear over my lace-trim nightgown. I normally never wore these skimpy things to sleep, but my husband had bought it for me without my knowledge during one of our previous trips to the mall.  
  
After I'd found out how expensive it was, I forced him to return it, but he refused, insisting that seeing me in lace would allow him to sleep better at night. In reality, he'd be out like a light every time we got to bed. There could be a serial killer pounding on our window, and he wouldn't even stir an inch.  
  
So much for having a "sleeping problem."  
  
Smiling at the thought of Derek, I headed downstairs to get out everything I'd need for the barbecue from the fridge. Today wasn't just a typical Saturday. It was November 14th, his 25th birthday, and I'd planned a huge surprise party for him. I had invited some of his relatives and close friends, including his COO- Keith Harrington. And of course, his parents were coming, too.  
  
It'd also be the perfect opportunity to celebrate his career milestone. Weston Hotel Group had announced the official date of its grand opening in Sydney, and we'd recently bought plane tickets to fly over there in January right after Christmas.  
  
Derek wouldn't be home from work until four, which gave me plenty of time to prepare the food and decorations. Heather had insisted on coming over early to assist with the cooking, but I'd kindly declined her offer. Besides, I was much more productive on my own.  
  
Tying my hair up in a bun, I quickly got to work, setting out the marinated ribs I'd left in the fridge overnight. This way, they'd taste extra flavorful. Before grabbing the ingredients for my signature potato salad, I turned on some music from my phone.  
  
Soon, I was dancing and singing along to Taylor Swift's  _Styl_ e as I swiftly moved about the kitchen, preparing several different foods at once. The mouthwatering aroma of baked BBQ chicken began to fill my nostrils, and I went to check it in the oven.  
  
While stirring a brownie mixture, my body suddenly grew tense. For some weird reason, it felt as if I was being watched.  
  
The hairs on the back of my neck stood up, and I slowly turned around, anxious to see if there was actually someone behind me.  
  
My spoon instantly fell to the ground as a scream escaped my lungs.  
  
"Oh my god, what are you doing here?! You scared me!", I exclaimed.  
  
There, leaning against the wall, was none other than my husband. He had an amused look on his face, trying to suppress a laugh, but failed.  
  
"You should've seen yourself! What were you gonna do with that spoon? Hit me with it?" He smiled arrogantly.  
  
"It's not funny! I thought you were a burglar!", I protested, slapping his arm.  
  
Derek picked up the wooden spoon and went to rinse it in the sink, laughing to himself. I just stood there, recovering from the momentary heart attack he'd given me.  
  
"You never answered my question about why you're home so early."  
  
"I forgot some documents this morning, so I had to come back to grab them," he explained, waving a bundle of papers in front of my face.  
  
"Oh, I see."  
  
"Yeah. I gotta go back to work now. I'll see you at four?"  
  
I nodded my head and he smiled, kissing me on the forehead.  
  
"Do you have any idea how adorable you look when you're dancing?"  
  
 _Gee, how long had he watched me?_  
  
My eyes widened in surprise and immediately, a blush spread across my cheeks. Derek chuckled and leaned down to kiss my lips. His hands rested at my hips, pulling me tight against his hard chest.  
  
Before we could get too carried away, I gently pushed him away. He had to go to work, and I still needed to finish cooking. I felt a tug at my heart when a frown formed on his perfect face.  
  
"What was that for?"  
  
"Sweetheart, I'm busy right now and you have to head back to work." I put on a smile and grabbed his hand, dragging him to the garage.  
  
He turned to look at me before stepping out the door, looking absolutely flustered.  
  
"But it's my birth-"  
  
"Good-bye, Derek!", I said cheerfully, blowing him a kiss. Then, I shut the door in his face.  
  
 _Phew, that was close_ , I thought to myself.  
  
If Derek had stayed any longer, he'd figure something was up, with all the food and decorations I'd left in the living room. Hopefully, he hadn't noticed them.  
  
The poor guy probably thought I'd forgotten his birthday. Boy, would he be in for a surprise later this evening.  
  
After showering and putting on a dark blue long-sleeved summer dress, I left the house, driving downtown to pick up Derek's birthday cake. Everything else was already finished at home.  
  
Around three, people started to show up, and I headed outside to fire up the grill. The weather was warm and sunny, perfect for a barbecue.  
  
"The decorations look amazing. I love your choice of colors," James complimented, walking towards me with a bottle of beer in his hand.  
  
"Thanks, dad." I smiled.  
  
I'd chosen gold, silver, and white of everything, including the balloons, banner, and tablecloths. There were two tables filled with food, and the cake sat on a separate one.  
  
Heather was talking to Derek's aunts, and she acknowledged me with a sincere smile.  
  
"The food looks amazing, dear."  
  
"Let's hope it tastes just as good," I said.  
  
Meanwhile, the kids were playing by the pool, and some had decided to go for a swim. Most of them were four or six, all children of Derek's cousins.  
  
Keith Harrington and his wife were the next to arrive, and they brought a bottle of champagne to share with everyone.  
  
"You think Derek will want to hit the club tonight? Us guys are planning on going," he asked as I was straightening out the chairs.  
  
"You'll have to check with him."  
  
"Sounds good. You know how he transferred Ashley Lawrence to work in my department?"  
  
"Yeah?" I mentally gagged at the sound of her name.  
  
"She drives me insane. She flirts with every guy in the building, including me. I know she has the hots for Derek, though. I'd hate to see her ruin your marriage, so I guess I have to deal with her now."  
  
I gave him a sympathetic smile, and then we both started laughing. After catching up further with the Harrington's, I went back to check on the grill.  
  
"Uncle Derek's here!", Declan- one of the kids- announced, climbing out of the pool. The rest of them followed, running towards the front lawn.  
  
"Surprise!", we all yelled once Derek stepped into the backyard, carrying Declan in his arms.  
  
His face broke into a huge grin, and he was at a complete loss for words. Everyone began to surround him, offering their wishes as I stood by the grill, flipping steaks.  
  
When he approached me, I set down the spatula and threw my arms around his neck, hugging him tightly.  
  
"Happy birthday, Derek!"  
  
I let out a squeal as I felt my body being lifted off the ground. Sparks flew the instant Derek captured my lips in a deep kiss, and I responded, placing my hands on the sides of his face.  
  
The moment he set me back down, he gazed at me with such love and adoration, I thought I'd melt.  
  
"Was this whole thing your idea?", he asked.  
  
"Yup. Sorry I rushed you out of the house earlier. I didn't want you to find out."  
  
"No worries. You look stunning, baby." His eyes roamed the entire length of my body, and I grabbed his tie, pulling him in for another kiss.  
  
After eating, we sat by the pool under the glare of the sun, dressed in our swimsuits. Keith and the rest of Derek's close friends took turns giving congratulatory speeches in honor of his birthday and career milestone.  
  
"And how about you, Claire? Got anything to say to this stud?", Stephen said, playfully ruffling Derek's hair.  
  
"You've made me a very proud wife, Derek. And with today signifying a new year of your life, I wish you nothing but continuing success with your career. I can't wait to see where our journey takes us from here."  
  
Derek's eyes became glassy and for a moment, I thought he was going to cry. He patted his lap, motioning for me to sit on it. As soon as I made it across to him, his strong arms enveloped my frame, and I sighed in content, relishing the feel of his bare skin against mine.  
  
"Do you have any idea how happy you make me?", he whispered against my ear.  
  
"I'm pretty awesome, aren't I?"  
  
"You're everything a man could ever want for a wife."  
  
"I could say the same about you. Hey, don't party too hard tonight, alright?"  
  
"We'll see." He smirked.  
  
I smiled, kissing his cheek then stood up to join the other women who were in the hot tub. I watched as Derek chased around his nieces and nephews in the yard as they screamed their little heads off.  
  
Sophia, the youngest child, wasn't as fast as the others. Derek noticed and stopped in his tracks, bending down to pick her up in his arms.  
  
"Let's go catch your cousins!", he exclaimed with excitement.  
  
"I want a piggy-back ride!"  
  
"As you wish, Soph."  
  
Derek placed her on top of his shoulders, and together, the two of them went after the other kids. Seeing this side of him made my heart melt with joy.  
  
There was no doubt he'd make a terrific father one day. When Declan had fallen earlier and scraped his knee, Derek had been the first to take care of it. Even Declan's mother hadn't responded that quickly.  
  
The idea of having kids with Derek didn't seem so horrifying as it had been before. Those days in the past were over, at least, that's why I hoped.  
  
But now was definitely not the time. I was only twenty-two, and I had a huge career ahead of me. If all went well, there were possibilities of receiving a promotion in a few months' time.  
  
Around eight, the guys left for the club, and their wives offered to stay behind and help me clean up. Those with young kids went home sooner.  
  
Eventually, it was just me, Heather, and James. We were all sitting on the couch, flipping through old albums of Derek as a baby. He was the cutest thing I'd ever seen.  
  
"Remember the day we first took him home from the hospital?", Heather remarked with a wistful smile. James nodded.  
  
"Believe me honey, if I could do it all over again, I would. Only this time, I'd be a better wife and mother."  
  
Her expression grew remorseful, and before I knew it, she was crying. James sat there in silence, comforting his wife. I decided it would be best to leave them alone for a moment, so I stood up, walking out the front door.  
  
A gentle breeze blew through the palm trees, and I hugged my knees to my chest as I sat on the porch. Above me, the stars twinkled magnificently in the night sky.  
  
 _This_ , I thought,  _was how life should always be._  
  
James and Heather had had a rough marriage, but they'd found happiness in the end. Just like Derek and I.  
  
After they left, I turned off all the lights and headed to bed. Derek's birthday present sat on the dresser. He'd opened everyone else's except for mine.  
  
While I was brushing my teeth, he strolled into the bathroom, whistling to himself.  
  
"You made it back in one piece." My voice was muffled from the toothpaste.  
  
"Yup. And I didn't get wasted either," he stated proudly.  
  
"Did you have fun?"  
  
"Yeah, but I'd rather just spend time in bed with you." He smiled, wrapping his arms around my waist.  
  
I gave his bicep a squeeze.  
  
"And you know what? None of the girls there could compete with you," he added.  
  
"Is that so?"  
  
"Yes ma'am."  
  
I shook my head in amusement.  
  
When I finished brushing my teeth, we both sat on the bed, and I handed Derek the bag that contained his present.  
  
He reached into the tissue paper, first pulling out a rectangular box. Inside was a dark gray Armani dress shirt and striped tie.  
  
"You didn't have to get me something this fancy," he remarked.  
  
"Does it look okay?"  
  
"I love it, sweetheart. And I love  _you,_  too." He grinned, briefly kissing my lips.  
  
"There's more things in the bag." I couldn't hide the blush on my cheeks.  
  
"Damn, Claire, how many things did you get me?"  
  
"Just four."  
  
Derek pulled out the watch I bought him, and then at the bottom of the bag were a pair of concert tickets for The Script in Sydney. His entire face instantly lit up, and he gave me the biggest bear hug.  
  
"The Script tickets? You're the best!"  
  
"I figured since we'll be in Sydney that week, why not go to their concert, too?"  
  
"I can't believe it. Front row seats. You never cease to surprise me, Mrs. Weston."  
  
I smiled, toying with my wedding ring.  
  
"Thank you for these lovely gifts. And the party, too. Getting everyone together was a wonderful idea."  
  
"Anything for you, Derek."  
  
He began to put everything back in the bag then suddenly paused.  
  
"Wait, you said there was a fourth gift. What is it?"  
  
A mischievous grin formed on my lips, and I felt my skin burn hot with anticipation.  
  
"Me."  
  
I stood up, letting the silky robe I had on slip off my shoulders as it pooled to the ground, leaving me in a light pink lingerie set.  
  
A deep, throaty groan escaped Derek's chest, and it sent excitement coursing through my veins. His eyes immediately grew dark with lust and desire, drinking in the sight of my almost naked body.  
  
The longer I'd been intimate with Derek, the more confident I felt. I wasn't shy and insecure like I used to be. Every time we made love, he made me feel beautiful- sexy, even.  
  
"This, by far, is the best birthday surprise of all," he spoke huskily, reaching out to pull me onto his lap.

And the remainder of that night was spent lost in the sheets- the icing on the cake.

 


	31. Dog Days

 

"Fuck my life," Derek grumbled to himself as he bent down to clean up the dog poop in our backyard.  
  
Currently, four dogs were chasing each other around the lawn- two of whom belonged to Keith Harrington. He had left for Washington to spend Christmas with his in-laws and asked us to watch over his dogs while he was gone.  
  
It sounded like an easy task at first, but things took a turn on Christmas Day when an additional two puppies joined the household. Derek had received a yellow lab from me as a present, and coincidentally, he'd bought a dog for me, too- a female golden retriever to be exact.  
  
They were the cutest puppies I'd ever seen in my entire life. Ever since I was little, I'd always wanted a pet, and now I finally had one. My mom, brother, and his girlfriend, Lauren, had flown down here to spend Christmas with us last week, and they just left yesterday. Getting to finally see them again was great.  
  
Justin had helped me to come up with a name for my golden retriever, and after testing out dozens of them, we ended up choosing, 'Buttercup', because it sounded super adorable and sweet.  
  
"Like Reese's chocolate," he had said.  
  
As for Derek, he'd decided to name his lab, 'Buster'. It was the first thing that had popped into his head, and without a doubt, it went perfectly with my own puppy's name, too.  
  
"You need any help, hon?", I asked, my eyes shining with amusement at the sight of Derek cleaning after our canine friends, irritation evident on his face.  
  
"I'm good. Man, I thought two dogs were enough, but four? That's double the poop I have to clean."  
  
"Yeah, I know. It's been a zoo lately. Thank god Keith is coming back tomorrow to pick them up."  
  
Derek's nose was scrunched up as he proceeded with his less than enjoyable task, and I couldn't help but laugh at his facial expressions. If only he could see how hilarious he looked right now.  
  
"What's so funny?", he demanded.  
  
"You," I giggled.  
  
"What? Never seen a CEO pick up dog shit before?"  
  
I shook my head, and Derek pretended to roll his eyes in annoyance.  
  
For December, it was unusually hot today. Beads of sweat formed on the back of my neck despite the fact that I was standing in the shade.  
  
My gaze returned to Derek and the dogs as he began to slowly peel off his tshirt, his eyes never leaving mine. The sight of his rock-hard abs always sent my nerves in a frenzy.  
  
He ran his tongue along his teeth, making me feel all hot and bothered. It took every ounce of my self-control to not throw myself at him and have him take me right then and there.  
  
"I know what you're trying to do," I scolded, crossing my arms in front of my chest.  
  
"What are you talking about?", he asked, feigning innocence.  
  
"You're trying to seduce me, aren't you?"  
  
"Um, no? I took off my shirt because it's hot."  
  
"Sure..."  
  
Derek chuckled and went to stand in front of me, tilting my chin up with his hand. His cool breath fanned my cheek and I closed my eyes, aching to feel his lips against mine.  
  
...But just when I thought he was going to kiss me, a tshirt was thrown in my face.  
  
"What the-!", I exclaimed.  
  
"Oops, my bad."  
  
My eyes shot daggers at Derek, and the devilish grin on his face widened.  
  
"I hate you," I spat at him, turning on my heel to leave when he grabbed my arm, pulling me back towards him.  
  
He crushed me against his chest and before I could even utter a word of protest, his lips crashed onto mine, devouring them hungrily. I moaned in appreciation, and he glided his tongue along my lower lip, begging for entrance, which I happily granted.  
  
My fingers tangled in his hair as our tongues danced in unison, savoring each other's taste. When I began to grow breathless, Derek pulled away, placing his hands on my butt.  
  
"Still hate me now?", he asked with a smirk.  
  
"Yes, but you can make it up to me in the bedroom," I said, smiling coyly.  
  
"Looks like someone's desperate." He gave my butt a squeeze.  
  
"I'm not desperate!" I flicked his nose.  
  
"Ouch! I was only kidding, baby." He chuckled in amusement, elbowing my ribs playfully. "Oh, and guess what?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You smell like dog shit now."  
  
 _Yup, this guy was_   _dead_   _meat.  
_  
Somehow, we ended up wrestling each other on the clean part of the lawn while the dogs sat there watching us. After several futile attempts, I managed to roll over on top of Derek then began tickling him relentlessly.  
  
"S-stop it!", he choked out in between laughs, his eyes watering.  
  
"What? I can't hear you."  
  
"I'm sorry for teasing you!" He continued to twist and squirm underneath me.  
  
"Really?", I raised a brow.  
  
"Yes." He looked at me with puppy dog eyes, and being the softie I was, seized attacking him. By then, we were both covered in grass stains.  
  
To my astonishment, he took it as an opportunity to roll on top of me, and I let out a yelp, bracing myself for the merciless tickling I knew was about to come. But instead, he pinned both my arms to the ground, smiling proudly, before his lips descended onto mine.  
  
Soon, we were engaged in a heated make-out session, and yes, the poor dogs had to witness it all.  
  
It wasn't until seven when Derek and I finally managed to clean up the remaining dog poop in the yard. After taking a shower together, we both decided to take the dogs out for a walk along the beach.  
  
In the truck, Buttercup sat on my lap while Buster sat on Derek's. The two bigger dogs were in the back seat, enjoying the breeze as it blew through the windows.  
  
When we arrived at Pacific Beach, Derek put all four dogs on their leashes and then we made our way down towards the water. I kicked off my flip flops, letting my feet sink into the soft sand.  
  
"I'm glad we got Buster and Buttercup. They'll always keep us company," Derek remarked with a grin.  
  
"Me too. We'll train them to be good dogs, so when we go to work, we won't have to worry about them destroying the house."  
  
Both Buttercup and Buster's heads whipped around to face us, as if they understood what we'd just said. I had to admit, they were probably a lot smarter than I thought.  
  
"So, how'd you like spending your first ever Christmas with me?", Derek asked, changing the subject.  
  
"I loved it. Although I did miss the snow quite a bit."  
  
He smiled, reaching for my hand and I took it, intertwining my fingers with his.  
  
In two days, we would be leaving for Sydney, and I couldn't wait. Unlike Derek, I'd actually been there before back in high school when my family traveled to Australia to visit my dad's parents in Melbourne.  
  
It would be Dec. 29th by the time we arrived in Sydney, which meant that we'd have the opportunity to see the world-famous New Year's Eve fireworks at the harbor.  
  
Keith and his wife were accompanying us on the trip as well, so we had arranged for Derek's friend, Stephen, to watch over our dogs since his wife was a stay-at-home mom.  
  
Because Justin's company had partnered with Derek's to cover the hotel project expenses, he and his girlfriend would also be flying to Sydney for the grand opening. They were arriving one day after us.  
  
Last week, Charlotte and I had gone shopping for swimsuits since Sydney was home to several beautiful beaches. It was currently winter over there, but the temperatures constantly remained in the upper 70s and 80s.  
  
After playing catch with the dogs, Derek and I plopped down on the sand to admire the sunset, with the cool wind blowing through our hair. His leg brushed against mine, and I leaned my head on his shoulder, feeling content as could be.  
  
 _This, to me, was truly paradise._  
  
***  
  
"You two behave yourselves, alright?"  
  
"Woof!" Buttercup gave me one last lick on the cheek, wagging her tail enthusiastically.  
  
"Have fun in Sydney, guys," Stephen said, letting all four dogs through his door.  
  
"We will. Thanks again," Derek spoke.  
  
We all walked back to his Range Rover then drove to the airport. Both Keith and Derek looked dapper in black suits while Jessica and I wore elegant summer dresses.  
  
After leaving the car in the long-term parking ramp, the four of us headed inside to check in. There was a two hour layover in LA, and then we'd fly directly to Sydney.  
  
It had only been less than an hour and already, I was missing Buttercup like crazy. She'd managed to capture a special place in my heart the moment I first laid eyes on her, like the daughter I would hope to soon have.  
  
By the time we arrived at LAX, all I wanted to do was sleep since it was nearly eleven. While Derek spoke on the phone to a hotel representative in Sydney, I immediately dozed off on his shoulder, dreaming of Buttercup's adorable face.  
  
"At this time, we'd like to begin boarding all first-class passengers and exclusive members of our Qantas Airways rewards program."  
  
The sound of the announcer woke me up and I rose to my feet, stretching out my limbs. Derek looked as fresh as ever, fixing his tie before we made our way towards the gate.  
  
Outside, the sky was pitch dark and bright lights illuminated the runway. Downtown LA was visible in the distance, surrounded by vast mountains.  
  
After our boarding passes were checked, we headed inside the plane, taking a flight of stairs to reach the first-class lounge. My jaw instantly dropped to the floor at the sight of the luxurious leather seats and individual TVs. It felt more like a hotel than an actual plane.  
  
In the back was a full bar that housed world-class wine and a variety of light snacks. Like me, Jessica was also standing there with her mouth hanging open.  
  
"It's nice isn't it?", Derek asked with a grin, making himself comfortable in one of the seats and stretching out his legs.  
  
"Are you kidding me? This is like heaven," I said excitedly.  
  
The flight attendant came over to check up on us and when she left, I went into the bathroom to perform my nightly routines before bed.  
  
Upon returning to my seat, I found Keith and his wife both fast asleep as the cabin lights dimmed. Derek was working on his laptop, the top buttons of his shirt undone. His shoes were on the ground next to him.  
  
"You look comfy there," I remarked, stroking his face. He brought my hand to his lips and kissed it, causing butterflies to flutter in my stomach.  
  
"I am. Are you going to sleep now?"  
  
"Yeah. I'll see you in the morning."  
  
He reached up to give me a brief kiss on the lips.  
  
"Good night, sweetheart. I love you." A smile lit up his handsome face.  
  
"Night, Derek."  
  
With one easy press of a button, my seat transformed into an extra-wide bed. Kicking off my heels, I lay down, sighing in content as my eyes slowly closed shut.  
  
Soon, the plane took off into the skies above, en route to the 'land down under'.


	32. Love in Sydney

 

"Sweetheart, we're here," Derek's velvety voice spoke in my ear, waking me from my deep slumber.  
  
I slowly opened my eyes to see his gorgeous face hovering just inches from mine, his lips curled into a bright smile. He planted a brief kiss on my lips, his stubble lightly tickling my cheek before standing back up to retrieve our suitcases.  
  
"Where are Keith and Jessica?", I asked, undoing my seat belt.  
  
"They already got out of the plane," Derek replied, fixing his tie.  
  
"Oh, well let's go then."  
  
The moment we stepped into the airport, sounds of buzzing activity rang in my ears as herds of people in formal business wear rushed throughout the gate area, busy chattering away with each other or on their phones. After all, Sydney was a very popular destination for not only tourists but also conference meetings.  
  
After completing customs, Derek and I walked outside towards the car rental building, inhaling the fresh morning air. It was a beautiful, sunny day without a single cloud in sight. Never had I ever seen a sky so blue.  
  
While waiting for Derek to fill out the paperwork, I decided to head back inside the airport to buy two coffees and some donuts for the both of us. Nothing could beat a good ol' cup of  _Gloria Jean's_ Aussie blended cappuccino.  
  
Since Derek had never been to Australia before, I had a feeling that I'd be the one directing us on this trip. There wasn't a single destination in Sydney my family hadn't discovered the last time we came here.  
  
The moment I headed back to Derek, a huge gasp escaped my lips as I took in the sleek, black convertible parked next to him. I blinked my eyes twice to make sure they weren't playing tricks with me. He stood there with his hands shoved in his pockets, grinning like the Cheshire cat.  
  
"Nice, huh?", he said, stroking the hood of the car. "It's a Mercedes Sl550- runs like a beast and looks sick as shit."  
  
"We're driving this for the entire week?"  
  
"Yup. Now hop in and let's take this baby for a ride."  
  
"How much did it cost?"  
  
"Nothing my wallet couldn't handle," he said with a wink.  
  
After throwing our suitcases into the trunk, Derek eagerly jumped into the driver's seat then pressed the power button as the engine purred to life, barely making a sound.  
  
"Oh, and there's one thing you should know," I remarked with a serious tone.  
  
"What is it, babe?" Derek raised a brow, his hand on the stick shift.  
  
"Sydney drivers are crazy. Not even kidding."  
  
To my astonishment, Derek barked out a laugh, shaking his head as he began to drive out of the airport.  
  
"Oh, Claire-Bear you're such a worry wart. I've driven in New York and LA, so I'm sure Sydney is a piece of cake."  
  
Less than half an hour later, Derek was on a rant, and I'd lost track of how many times he'd flipped a driver off as we neared our hotel.  
  
"Did you see that guy on the freeway? He nearly slammed into our car when he changed lanes! The bastard didn't even signal!"  
  
"Like you ever signal when you change lanes," I muttered under my breath, rolling my eyes.  
  
Derek let out a sigh of frustration then the car came to a screeching halt as he slammed on the brakes. The SUV in front of us had tried to weave into our lane at the traffic light without signaling. My heart nearly leapt out of my chest.  
  
"You can say it now," Derek spoke through gritted teeth, slamming his hands on the steering wheel in defeat.   
  
"Say what?", I asked innocently. "That I was right all along about Sydney drivers being reckless?"  
  
"Hell, even the word 'reckless' isn't enough to describe them. And these lanes, could they be any smaller?"  
  
I tried to stifle a laugh but failed. Derek glanced over at me, a smirk forming on his lips.  
  
"How about you drive then?"  
  
"Eh, I'm not as good as you, but I'll drive us over to Bondi later today," I acquiesced.  
  
Soon, we were pulling up into the main entrance of Weston Hotel and Suites in Sydney Harbour. It was a towering one-hundred stories and had a spectacular view of the Opera House.  
  
Derek handed his keys over to the valet attendant and then we both stepped inside the grand lobby. I was at an utter loss of words as I took in the magnificent chandelier hanging from the painted ceiling, marble floors, and Italian leather couches.  
  
The hotel felt more classical than contemporary but nonetheless had elements of both. Next to me, Derek was marveling in the finished product of his company's hard work with a look of pride in his eyes. I took his hand in mine and gave it an affectionate squeeze.  
  
"It's beautiful," I said, gazing up at my husband in awe.  
  
"Wait til you see the outdoor garden and presidential suite we'll be staying in." He smiled, bending his head down to capture my lips in a kiss.  
  
After giving me a complete tour of the hotel, he and Keith went to check out the ballroom where the grand opening celebration would take place while Jessica and I unpacked our things.  
  
Around noon, the four of us drove to the world-famous, Bondi Beach. While Derek sat in the passenger seat, he kept complaining about how I drove like his grandmother, and it took every fiber of my being to not throw his body to the sharks. After all, the Pacific Ocean was just a short drive away.  
  
"Holy shit, I don't think I've ever seen water this blue before," Keith commented as we were walking down towards the beach.  
  
"I know right? It's fucking beautiful," Derek added, taking off his sunglasses.  
  
We all took a bunch of pictures then made ourselves comfortable on the sand. I spread out a towel and slipped off my dress, leaving me in my black designer bikini. Before the guys were about to go rent surfboards, I took out a bottle of suntan lotion, handing it to Derek.  
  
"Could you put some of this on my back?", I asked him, tossing my hair to the side.  
  
"Um, sure," Derek gulped as his eyes began to grow dark with lust. He ran a hand over his hair, looking sexier than ever with his glorious abs on display.  
  
"Thanks." I flashed him a smile.  
  
"What I'd do to be inside you right now on this beach," he whispered huskily into my ear, sending shivers of delight down my spine.  
  
"Patience, babe. We have all of tonight to fool around." I winked at him.  
  
A groan rumbled in the back of Derek's throat as my eyes trailed downwards and indeed, he was already getting a hard-on through his swim trunks.  
  
 _Yup, this was gonna be a long day.  
  
_ While the guys surfed, Jessica and I tanned. I was also able to read several more chapters of the novel I'd recently started called Collide. When I'd decided that I'd been burnt enough, I joined Derek in the water.  
  
He ended up teaching me how to surf and I enjoyed every minute of it, especially since he was such a wonderful instructor. Later, as we went to go return our surfboards, his stomach began to grumble.  
  
"You hungry?", I asked.  
  
"For you," he replied with a smirk.  
  
"Sorry, they don't sell Claires at the restaurants here."  
  
Derek swatted my ass and I let out a little squeal. I glared at him and he grinned wickedly.  
  
"So, what  _do_ they sell here?"  
  
"Fish and chips. Trust me, they're so much better than in America," I stated.  
  
"Sounds great."  
  
After changing back into fresh clothes, we walked up to Bondi Pavilion for a late lunch. More people had shown up to the beach over the hours. We were the only Americans, though. Everyone around us all had Australian accents, and my ears couldn't get enough of hearing them.  
  
"Man, the guys in Sydney are so hot," Jessica remarked with a sigh as the two of us went shopping later that evening.  
  
"Tell me about it."  
  
"But hey, they can't stand a chance against our men, right?"  
  
We both burst out laughing. It was true. Of all the Aussie guys I'd seen so far today, Derek's looks surpassed them all. I was honestly the luckiest girl alive.  
  
Jessica and I had each bought two dresses- one for the grand opening ceremony and one for the New Year's Eve party. Once we were satisfied that we'd stopped by all our favorite stores, we met up with the guys at the Sydney Opera House.  
  
Each time I saw the intricate structure, it never ceased to take my breath away. It was architecture at its finest.  
  
We took several pictures there and then walked along Circular Quay, admiring the shops and restaurants by the water's edge. After having dinner, Keith and Jessica drove back to our hotel. Derek, on the other hand, wanted to do some more exploring. So, we ended up driving over Harbour Bridge.  
  
Later, Derek would quote it as being "one of the scariest experiences in his life."  
  
For one thing, the cars were so close to each other that if one were to slightly swerve, it'd hit oncoming traffic. There was nothing to separate the lanes on that bridge. Second, the exit signs were difficult to read, making it even harder to navigate.  
  
When we finally made it back to our hotel, Derek was beat. He swore that driving in Sydney on a regular basis would shorten his lifespan.  
  
"Thank god I can sleep now." Derek let out a massive yawn, collapsing onto the bed after we'd brush our teeth.  
  
"Did you sleep at all on the plane?", I asked.  
  
"Nope. I had work to do."  
  
Not less than five minutes later, we were both fast asleep in each other's arms, all thoughts of 'fooling around' forgotten.  
  
The following morning, Justin and his girlfriend arrived at the airport and I went to go pick them up. They'd insisted on renting their own car, but I told them it was unnecessary. They could just use Derek's or Keith's if they needed to.  
  
"So, anything exciting happened since I saw you on Christmas?", my brother asked as we drove to the hotel.  
  
"No, not really. We went to Bondi yesterday. It was so fun. You should go there, too."  
  
"I most certainly will. And I can't wait for tonight. So many people are gonna show up to the grand opening of Weston Hotel and Suites." He flashed me a smile.  
  
"Like who?", his girlfriend, Lauren, asked. She was a pretty blonde and had a bubbly personality, the perfect match for Justin.  
  
"Celebrities, business moguls, the governor, you name it."  
  
"Wow..."  
  
The car ride was thoroughly entertaining as Justin and I brought back memories of our childhood and joked around. Over the years, his looks had grown to resemble our father's even more. Whenever he smiled, crinkles formed by his warm, brown eyes and he even laughed the way Dad used to, all out and hearty.  
  
"Hey, man. How's it going?", Derek greeted Justin when we arrived at the hotel, pulling him in for a brotherly hug.  
  
"It's all good, bro."  
  
After Lauren was introduced to Keith, we all headed outside to the garden to catch up on events and lay out the schedule for tonight. There would be food, music, and prize giveaways.  
  
We spent the day doing some more sightseeing and lunched at Darling Harbour. As evening approached, everyone drove back to the hotel to get ready for the event.  
  
I showered then put on my black, formal dress. It had a plunging neckline and accentuated my figure perfectly. Everything about it screamed classy and professional.  
  
"You look absolutely ravishing, Mrs. Weston," Derek complimented, snaking his arms around my waist. He buried his head in the crook of my neck, inhaling my perfume. "And you smell amazing, too."  
  
The room suddenly felt ten times hotter as Derek mentally undressed me with his eyes. Not able to contain my need for him, I stood up on my tippy toes, melting my lips onto his.  
  
"W-we should probably go now," Derek breathed as my tongue explored every inch of his mouth. With reluctance, I broke our kiss.  
  
"Tonight, you can have me any way you want, ok?" He cradled my cheek in his hand, his blue eyes burning into the very depths of my soul.  
  
 _God, I was so in love with this man._  
  
But I wouldn't tell him...yet.  
  
"Ok," I whispered with a smile.  
  
We took the elevator downstairs and then entered the ballroom which was elegantly decorated from head to toe. All eyes landed on us and several men in suits came up to congratulate Derek. Across the room, Justin and Keith were receiving the same amount of attention.  
  
A slow jazz song played in the background as Derek introduced me to the mayor of Sydney and his wife. And like Justin had said, the governor of New South Wales was present, too.  
  
We were about to go meet Keith and Justin at our table when a familiar female voice called out Derek's name. I felt him freeze in his step as his body tensed. Turning our heads around, we came face to face with Ashley Lawrence- my worst nightmare.  
  
"Ashley, fancy meeting you here." Derek's tone was clipped and cold as ice.  
  
"Well, I know that neither you nor Keith invited me to come here for this, but since I also work for the company, I felt obligated to," she said, smiling solely at Derek.  
  
"I see. Well, I hope you have a wonderful time."  
  
"Wait, I have something to say. To both of you." She finally acknowledged my presence, giving me a nod.  
  
"What is it?" Derek asked in a bored tone.  
  
"I wanted to apologize to you and your wife personally for what happened that day in your office. My behavior was completely inappropriate."  
  
"I appreciate your apology, Ashley, but what's done is done. Now if you'll excuse us, we have to get to our table now."  
  
Before Ashley could utter another word, Derek dragged us away from her, anger radiating from his body in waves.  
  
"I swear, if she tries to pull something, I would be more than happy to escort her out of this hotel," he said, his jaw clenched.  
  
"It's ok, sweetheart. She'll leave us alone," I reassured, lacing his fingers through mine.  
  
When we got to our table, Derek poured himself a glass of champagne, downing it all in a matter of seconds.  
  
"You alright, man? You seem pissed," Keith observed.  
  
"I'm fine. I just didn't expect Ashley to be here."  
  
"She is? Fuck."  
  
"Hopefully, she'll mind her own business."  
  
As the remainder of the guests got seated, Derek made his way onstage. He was handed a microphone and then the music stopped playing.  
  
"Ooh, it's speech time," Jessica said, playfully elbowing my rib. "Let's see if you're in it."  
  
"Good evening, everyone. On behalf of Weston Hotel Group, I'd like to thank you all for attending the grand opening of Weston Hotel and Suites. It means a lot to me.  
  
"As you have already known, countless hours at the office and months of planning were necessary to complete this project. Some nights, I'd come home a grumpy old oaf."  
  
The audience erupted into laughter. Derek then directed his attention right at me.  
  
"So next, I'd like to thank my beautiful wife, Claire, for putting up with my behavior during those busy months. I don't know what I would've done if I'd let my work get in the way of our marriage.  
  
"Here's to Claire Weston, the most wonderful woman I've ever met and the love of my life."  
   
Derek raised his champagne glass, flashing me a breathtaking smile.  
  
I could feel my eyes watering as cheers and applause sounded throughout the entire room.  
  
"And last, I'd like to thank my COO, Keith Harrington, and Justin Delaney, CEO of Delaney Corp. None of this would've been possible without their contribution."  
  
After wrapping up his speech, Derek stepped off the stage, walking with pure confidence back to our table. He paused at my seat, leaning down to give me a passionate kiss that left my body wanting more.  
  
"Dude, you're gonna suffocate her," Keith joked. Derek flicked him off, and everyone laughed.  
  
"How was my speech?", he asked, finally sitting down.  
  
"Absolutely beautiful," I said, resting my hand on his thigh.  
  
"It was perfect. Claire here almost cried," Justin spoke.  
  
"Oh really?", Derek turned towards me, his blue eyes lit up in amusement.  
  
I nodded my head, simply staring at his handsome face- the face I'd come to love more and more each passing day.


	33. A New Chapter

 

A beacon of sunlight peeked through the velvet curtains, illuminating the pages of my book that I was currently glued to. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't seem to put it down.  
  
Ever since I was a girl, I'd always been a sucker for romance novels, especially those that left me crying both tears of sadness and joy. And this book did exactly that.  
  
As I sat in bed reading, Derek lay fast asleep beside me, his chest gently rising and falling with each breath. Yesterday night, we'd attended The Script's concert at Allphones Arena and even got to meet each member in person before the show.  
  
When I woke up this morning, my throat had felt scratchy and dry, probably due to the numerous times I'd screamed last night.  
  
At that moment, Derek began to stir awake, rolling to the side and taking the sheets with him. After letting out a groan and stretching his muscles, he turned towards me, smiling lazily.  
  
"Morning, beautiful," he said in that deep, sexy voice of his.  
  
I simply gave him a smile then directed my attention back to  _Collide._  A frown formed on his lips.  
  
"That's it? No kiss or anything?"  
  
"Shush. I'm at a good part."  
  
"Damn, you've had your head stuck in that book ever since we got here."  
  
I ignored him and was about to get out of bed when he reached over and snatched the book out of my hand.  
  
"Hey!", I protested.  
  
Derek smirked, opening to the current page I was on then propped himself up on one elbow as he began to read aloud:  
  
" _He was beauteous, not just his amazing stature but also his face. That strong angular jaw that complemented his high cheekbones, and the light stubble on his chin only added to his masculinity - and further added to her quickened breath_."  
  
Immediately, I felt a blush forming on my cheeks, and Derek shot me a cheeky grin, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.  
  
"I had no idea you were reading a book about me. The author's right; I  _a_ _m_  beauteous."  
  
I erupted into a laughing fit at his arrogant comment. I definitely hadn't seen it coming.  
  
"Hmm, I wonder what else she says about me." Derek continued to flip through the pages, and I could feel my patience wearing thin.  
  
"Derek...," I whined. He held up a finger.  
  
"Hold on. I see something good." His eyes lit up in mischief as he quickly scanned over the words. He pretended to clear his throat then read: " _Groaning, Gavin pushed himself deeper, and Emily breathed out hard, pulling his mouth down to hers."  
_  
My eyes widened in horror as I quickly yanked the book away from Derek, tossing it onto the nightstand. He laughed uproariously, making me feel more unsettled than ever. I was probably as red as a tomato right now.  
  
"God, you kill me, Claire."  
  
"I hate you." I punched his arm.  
  
"No you don't," he said with a smirk, pulling me towards his warm body.  
  
I groaned, hiding my face in his chest as I drowned in embarrassment.  
  
"Aww, is someone shy?" He cupped his hand under my chin, tilting it up so that I was staring into his playful eyes.  
  
"Just drop it," I said in exasperation.  
  
"Wait, I have a quick question."  
  
"What?"  
  
He brought his lips close to my ear, sending my nerves in a frenzy.  
  
"Can Gavin go as deep as I can?", he murmured.  
  
I bolted upright, accidentally colliding my head against Derek's chin then sprinted full speed towards the bathroom, shutting the door. The sound of his laughter echoed throughout the entire suite, and I regretted not bringing duct tape to shut him up for good.  
  
After stripping out of my tshirt and panties, I stepped into the shower and turned on the warm water, letting it run down my back. Just as I was about to pour some shampoo, the door opened, and Derek strolled in, wearing absolutely nothing at all.  
  
I could feel his heated gaze on me through the fogged glass, and my breathing hitched at the sight of his tanned, muscular body in all its perfection.  
  
Without saying a single word, he stepped in behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist. I leaned my head back on his shoulder, reaching up to tangle my fingers in the damp hair at the nape of his neck.  
  
Slowly, his hands began to slide upward, ghosting over the curve of my breasts, and I whimpered in delight as he leisurely circled the taut peak with his thumb and forefinger.  
  
Meanwhile, his lips began a torturous path down my neck, gently sucking and nibbling on the smooth skin. I could feel his growing erection pressing against my back and desperately wanted for him to be inside me.  
  
He turned my body around, holding my face in his hands. We simply stood there as the water fell down our backs, absorbed in the love that had somehow managed to find us both.  
  
Derek smiled, his gaze warming me from head to toe. His finger absently traced my bottom lip and feeling naughty, I brought it into my mouth, sucking gently. A deep groan escaped his throat, and it made me wetter than I already was.  
  
His eyes instantly darkened, full of carnal need, and the next thing I knew, my back was pressed against the tile wall. Panting, he brought his face down to mine, and our lips collided as he swiftly entered me with one deep thrust.  
  
"Oh, Derek," I moaned into his mouth, sinking my nails into his muscular back.  
  
His languorous tongue caressed my jaw and neck as he continued to slam his hips against mine, driving my body to insane heights.  
  
I threw my head back and cried out in pleasure when I felt his wet lips latch onto my swollen nipple, which ached with need. He teased one and then the other with his tongue, lapping and suckling the hard tip.  
  
I brought his mouth back to mine and with one hand, he lifted my leg and wrapped it around his waist, deepening his thrusts.  
  
"God, you feel so good," he rasped, pounding into me until we were both sated and completely breathless.  
  
My body went limp afterwards, and if it weren't for his strong arms holding me, I would've collapsed in a heap on the floor.  
  
"I don't think I'll ever get enough of you," I whispered, stroking his beautiful face.  
  
"Me neither. I was never addicted to anything until you came along." His lips curled into a smile.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Mmm."  
  
After washing ourselves, Derek and I finally got out of the shower. I changed into a pair of denim shorts and light pink top, applying as little makeup as possible. He threw on a black tshirt and dark blue jeans then we left the room to meet up with the others for breakfast.  
  
I still couldn't believe it was already the last day of the year. Tonight, the hotel was hosting a huge New Year's Eve party in its VIP club, and of course, there was also the famous fireworks over Sydney Harbour.  
  
"How was the concert last night?", Keith asked when we met him in the lobby.  
  
"It was amazing. We sang along to every single song, and Claire got Danny O'Donoghue's autograph," Derek shared.  
  
"Nice. So, what's the plan for today?"  
  
"How about we just spend the day downtown? The girls have their mani-pedi appointment in two hours, anyway," Justin suggested.  
  
"Good idea," Derek said.  
  
After eating a hearty breakfast, we passed the hours taking pictures at Hyde Park and wandering the busy city streets. While the girls and I got our nails done, the guys checked out the auto show down the block, complete with luxury cars and the most beautiful Australian models.  
  
Around six, traffic became insane since most of the roads had been shut in preparation for the fireworks later tonight. It wasn't until seven when we got back to our hotel.  
  
I slipped into the dark blue dress I'd bought exclusively for the party. No doubt Derek was gonna throw a huge fit over how it was too "short and tight." But I honestly didn't give two shits.  
  
After curling my hair and putting on a pair of silver dangly earrings, I went to go check on Derek. My eyes widened in appreciation when I saw him buttoning up his crisp, black Armani shirt. It fit him oh so perfectly, emphasizing his bulging biceps and taut chest.  
  
Everything about him oozed pure sex appeal, from his just-fucked hair to the scent of the cologne he was wearing.  
  
"Hey," I said, announcing my presence.  
  
Derek turned around, and his gaze locked onto mine. He just stood there, eyeing me with such raw hunger and desire, my legs turned to Jell-O, and I had to hold onto the wall for support.  
  
"You. Look. Fucking. Hot," he said, licking his lower lip.  
  
"Not as hot as you."  
  
He chuckled, putting on his watch then strode over to me. His cologne drove my senses wild, and it took every fiber of my being to not yank his shirt off of him.  
  
"Remind me to not lay a hand on you when we're at the club, alright?", he rasped into my ear. "Because once I do, I won't be able to stop."  
  
And with that, he left the room, and I followed him, feeling more sexually frustrated than ever.  
  
***  
  
The pounding bass echoed in my ears as I weaved through crowds of sweaty dancers having the time of their life. Ever since we entered the club, I'd lost count of how many times I found a woman feasting her eyes on Derek. Like usual, I hadn't minded at all.  
  
But when I approached our booth, a wave of jealousy rushed through me at the sight of one particular woman sitting next to my husband. And to say the least, she was a total bombshell, with long blonde hair and captivating emerald eyes.  
  
"Oh, you must be Claire. I  _lov_ _e_  your dress," she said, smiling at me before turning to Derek. "Wow you're right. She  _i_ _s_  beautiful."  
  
"How do you know my name?", I asked, feeling uneasy.  
  
"Derek was telling me about you. We've been friends for a few years now."  
  
I directed my attention to Derek and crossed my arms, giving him a skeptical look. He threw back a shot of vodka then stood up next to me, grinning ear-to-ear.  
  
"Baby, this is Monica Daniels, a close friend of mine. She was crowned Miss Australia two years ago," he introduced.  
  
My jaw dropped to the ground, and in that moment, I felt like absolutely nothing compared to her.  
  
 _So this was one of the_   _models_   _he_   _probably_   _slept with in the past...  
_  
"It's nice to meet you, Monica," I managed to say with a reluctant smile.  
  
"You, too. Well, I'll leave you two lovebirds alone now. Have a wonderful New Year."  
  
She kissed both of Derek's cheeks then did the same to me before heading off to a different booth.  
  
"You, ok?", Derek asked, slipping an arm around my waist.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine. I assume you and Monica used to date?"  
  
"For three months. We decided we were better off just being friends," he replied casually.  
  
 _Friends with benefits_ , I thought to myself.  
  
"Oh, I see."  
  
To rid the images of Derek and Monica getting it on in my mind, I ordered several shots of liquor, and he just sat there speechless as I downed them all. I was about to drink another one when he reached out and grabbed the glass from my hand.  
  
"Ok, I think you've had enough," he said sternly.  
  
I rolled my eyes at him then stood up, any trace of jealousy I'd felt earlier vanished. A wild, crazy rush of adrenaline replaced it, and I grabbed Derek's hand, leading him to the dance floor.  
  
"Hi Justin, hi Lauren!", I yelled over the loud music when we reached my brother, who was busting out some pretty insane dance moves.  
  
"Hey sis! Are you drunk or something?"  
  
"Why would you say that?"  
  
"You look like you've had one too many shots." He grinned in amusement.  
  
"Yeah, I probably did, but I'm gonna dance it all off!"  
  
Next to me, Derek was stifling a laugh, and before I could scold him, JT's  _Lovestoned_  began to play over the speakers. It'd always been one of my favorite songs in music history, and I wasted no time moving to the beat.  
  
The strobe lights illuminated the dance floor, creating a wild, energetic atmosphere.  
  
I got so lost in the music that I didn't notice the sound of whistles and claps erupting around me.  
  
"Damn, you go Weston!", I heard one guy holler.  
  
At the mention of Derek's name, I whipped around and froze, taking in the scene before me. And to say that I was stunned would be an understatement.  
  
As JT's vocals filled the room, Derek and a very drunk Keith were putting on one hell of a show. Derek had moves that could rival JT himself, and as he circled his hips erotically, it drove the girls absolutely crazy.  
  
 _God, I was_   _so_   _turned_   _on.  
_  
To my surprise, he dragged his feet over to me, and when the verse, ' _she's_   _like_   _a model, except_   _she's_   _got a little more ass,'_  played, he gave my ass a squeeze. I squealed, swatting his hand away.  
  
"Dance with me," he said in a low, husky tone.  
  
Just when I thought it couldn't get any crazier, Derek turned his back to me then began shimmying down, making sure that I could feel every inch of his hard body.  
  
The crowd erupted into laughter, enjoying our little naughty act. When the chorus came on, I grabbed Derek's arm, spinning him around to face me.  
  
His breathing quickened as our chests pressed against each other. Holding his heated gaze, I began to slide downwards, savoring every delicious muscle and ridge of his body before making my way back up.  
  
"That was fucking hot," he whispered throatily in my ear, his hands grabbing hold of my hips as I grinded against him.  
  
David Guetta's  _Sexy Bitch_  started to play over the speakers, an old but totally danceable hit that had everyone on their feet.  
  
"Do you have any idea what you're doing to me right now?" Derek's lips were at my throat, and I moaned quietly when I felt his hard-on pressing into my stomach.  
  
With a sly grin, I reached down and wrapped my hand around it, stroking him lightly as a low growl rumbled in the back of his throat.  
  
"Geez, calm down, tiger," I teased.  
  
Before he could utter a word, I made my way over to the girls, who were caught up in a conversation about how great a dancer Derek was. When I looked back in his direction, his eyes were so dark with revenge and raw desire, it made me throb with need.  
  
After dancing with the girls, I was able to release some of the sexual energy, but when the guys came over, I went back to grinding against Derek once more. Luckily, we were able to control our raging hormones this time.  
  
The hours flew by as we all danced the night away, and soon people began to make their way outside to watch the fireworks display. It was a beautiful, clear night, perfect for the occasion. I desperately needed to cool off, too, since my body was covered in sweat.  
  
"Man, I didn't know you were such a party animal," Derek remarked.  
  
"I didn't know you could dance like JT."  
  
"Nah, I'm not that good." He grinned, shoving his hands in his pockets.  
  
"Oh, don't be so modest. We all know you made panties drop back in that club." I playfully elbowed his ribs.  
  
"Including yours."  
  
 _You have no idea, honey.  
_  
As we approached the edge of the water, I took in the breathtaking view, storing an image of it in my mind to keep forever. In just a couple minutes, fireworks would light up the Harbour Bridge, welcoming the new year.  
  
I leaned against the railing, and Derek stood behind me, resting his chin on my shoulder as his arms wrapped around my waist. It felt slightly chilly due to the ocean breeze, but the heat radiating from his body kept me warm.  
  
When the clock reached the minute til twelve mark, everyone began to count down the seconds.  
  
"Three..."  
  
"Two..."  
  
"One..."  
  
 _Boom!  
_  
As the first round of fireworks went off, Derek grabbed my face, gazing down at me with pure happiness before his lips descended on mine. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and he picked me up effortlessly, deepening our kiss.  
  
Meanwhile, the fireworks formed a waterfall, spilling down the edge of the Bridge while bright colors lit up the night sky. There were no words to describe how captivating and surreal it looked. The Opera House as well was surrounded in fireworks, the magnificent colors reflecting in the water.  
  
When we finally broke apart for air, I rested my forehead against Derek's, savoring this unforgettable moment.  
  
"Happy New Year, Claire," he said with a grin, kissing the tip of my nose.  
  
"Happy New Year, Derek."  
  
Amongst the cheering and noise, a well-known Australian singer began to perform the classic song,  _Auld Lang Syne._  She stood on a stage in front of the Opera House, and tons of people gathered around to watch, including Derek and me.  
  
It was nearly two in the morning when we made our way back towards the hotel. Deciding to let loose for just a bit longer, we returned to the club upstairs, where the party was still in full blast. Several Australian movie stars and models had shown up, too.  
  
After getting a few more drinks in my system and another round of dirty dancing with Derek, I was more aroused than ever.  
  
In the elevator back to our suite, he consumed my every thought, and I had my hands all over him as he showered my face with drunken kisses.  
  
The moment we entered the room, he kicked the door shut then picked me up in his arms. I slipped off my heels and wrapped my legs around his waist, bringing his face up to mine.  
  
A moan escaped my throat when he tugged at my bottom lip with his teeth and soon, the taste of vodka and mint intoxicated my senses as he thrust his tongue into my mouth.  
  
We stumbled over towards the bed, our lips never breaking contact. Derek switched on the dim lamp, and suddenly feeling self-conscious, I broke our kiss.  
  
"Why'd you turn on the lamp?", I asked.  
  
"I wanna see your beautiful face when I make love to you." His voice was raspy and full of desire.  
  
The throbbing ache between my legs was killing me, and when he sat down on the bed, I straddled his lap, wasting no time to rid him of his clothing. My fingers fumbled with the buttons of his shirt and then I yanked it off, tossing it to the ground.  
  
"Someone's eager," he said with a smirk.  
  
Derek stroked my thighs, tugging at the hem of my dress. Meanwhile his lips were on mine as we shared a raw, passionate kiss that left me begging for more.  
  
With one swift move, he had my dress off, adding it to our pile of clothing on the ground. I pushed him back onto the bed then began kissing his neck, gently biting the flesh.  
  
For the first time ever, I was the one in control, and I was going to savor every moment of it. Derek's breathing became uneven as my lips trailed down to the hard plane of his chest.  
  
I ran my tongue over his perfectly sculpted abs, paying special attention to his v-lines that led to my wettest dream. With quick fingers, I unzipped his pants, sliding them down his legs, along with his boxers.  
  
He kicked them off, lifting his head up to meet my gaze. To this day, I still couldn't believe that this handsome man was all mine. And I wanted to show him just how much I cared about him.  
  
With a shaky hand, I began to stroke his hard length, and he immediately responded to my touch.  
  
"Oh, fuck, baby," he said through clenched teeth.  
  
Keeping his eyes on mine, I took him into my mouth, swirling my tongue over the moist tip. He grabbed my hair, bucking his hips as a string of profanities escaped his mouth.  
  
Just as I was about to go deeper, he sat upright. I immediately stopped then gave him a frown.  
  
"What's wrong?", I asked.  
  
"Baby, I know this is your first time doing this, and-,"  
  
"Was I bad?" I could feel my cheeks beginning to burn hot with embarrassment.  
  
"No, not at all. You were amazing," he soothed, reaching out to stroke my cheek. "I just don't want you to choke once I...you know."  
  
It didn't surprise me at all that Derek had put me before his needs, and just knowing that made my love for him grow.  
  
He lay back down, taking me with him as one of his hands slipped under my panties, stroking my heat with his skilled fingers.  
  
"God, you're so wet," he murmured, capturing my lips in a kiss.  
  
"For you," I breathed.  
  
Slowly, he began to slide my panties down my legs, and I kicked them off. Sitting up, I straddled him, raising my hips slightly before sinking down.  
  
My eyes rolled to the back of my head and I moaned wildly, feeling every inch of him fill me up. His hands reached up to knead my breasts as I rode him, lost in an utter state of bliss.  
  
"God, you feel amazing," Derek rasped, bucking his hips.  
  
Just when I was about to reach the edge, he grabbed my arms, rolling over so that he hovered over my body. He repositioned himself at my entrance then slowly sank deep inside of me.  
  
My eyes closed shut and I threw my head back, digging my nails into his broad shoulders.  
  
"Look at me, baby," he breathed in my ear.  
  
I did as he asked and when I saw the tender, loving expression in his blue eyes, it took all my strength to not fall apart.  
  
His thrusts were slow and deep, and the sound of our moans filled the air. He kissed my neck, sucking at the sweet spot right below my ear.  
  
Soon, the familiar tightness began to build up in the base of my stomach as his movements became faster and more urgent.  
  
"Derek, I-I'm gonna come," I groaned.  
  
"Relax, baby, I got you," he rasped, kissing my lips.  
  
He continued to rock against me even harder and with the final thrust, my muscles clenched around his length as I cried out his name.  
  
"God, I fucking love you," Derek groaned into my mouth, spilling the contents of his release into me as I rode out my mind-blowing orgasm, trembling in his arms.  
  
After placing one last kiss on my lips, he collapsed on top of me. We simply lay there, struggling to slow down our erratic breathing.  
  
I reached up to brush the hair away from his sweaty forehead, and he grabbed my hand, brushing his lips over my knuckles.  
  
"Is it crazy that I love you more than I ever have before?", he whispered, his blue eyes burning into mine.  
  
I could feel tears of pure happiness threatening to escape as I traced every inch of his chiseled face with my finger, memorizing it forever.  
  
"Is it crazy that I love you, too?" My voice was barely a whisper.  
  
Derek gazed at me in disbelief, and when I pressed my lips against his, he didn't respond.  
  
"What's wrong?", I breathed.  
  
"You're still drunk aren't, you?" His tone was resigned.  
  
At that moment, I felt my heart clenching in my chest, and I wanted nothing more than to make Derek understand just how much I loved him. I hated how he'd had to feel second best to Nick all these months.  
  
"No, I'm not drunk. Look at me, Derek."  
  
His eyes met mine, and they looked so lost, pain constricted in my chest. I brought his hand to my heart, keeping it there.  
  
"You feel that? My heart beats for you, and only you. It's all yours...just please don't break it."  
  
A tear fell down my cheek, and Derek delicately brushed it away with his thumb, warming me with his loving gaze.  
  
"I'll die before doing anything to hurt you, baby. You're the air I breathe, and the blood flowing in my veins. Without you, I'm nothing," he whispered, stroking my cheek with the palm of his hand.  
  
"I love you, Derek Weston."  
  
A smile tickled the corners of his mouth.  
  
"I love you, too, Claire."  
  
His lips descended onto mine and soon, we were lost in each other once more, making love well into the crack of dawn. Derek fell asleep right after, holding me in the warmth of his arms as I lay my head on his chest, listening to his every heartbeat.  
  
To say the least, this past year had been nothing short of a roller coaster ride. In the beginning, I was a lost and broken soul, but because of Derek, I was able to find love again, and most importantly, find myself.  
  
Our relationship was like a romance novel. Tonight had marked the beginning of a new chapter, and believe me, I couldn't wait to turn the pages.

 


	34. One Year

** **

 

**Derek's POV**

I lost track of how many times I'd awaken during the early dawn, simply because I was too overwhelmed with joy to sleep. Each time I opened my eyes, my heart would warm at the sight of the woman I loved dearly lying by my side. The one whom had confessed her love for me just hours ago.

Until last night, I had thought that she'd never be capable of loving anyone else after Nick passed away. But she managed to surprise me.

The truth was, I knew that Claire always felt something for me. I could see it in her eyes. They were always filled with affection when she smiled, and the way she cared for me was beyond anything my mother had ever done.

_God, how'd I get so lucky?_

A huge grin formed on my lips as I gazed down at my beautiful, sleeping Claire Bear. With her dark hair fanned across my chest and smooth glowing skin, she looked like an absolute goddess. I traced small circles on her back, and slowly, she began to stir awake.

"Good morning, sweetheart," I greeted, placing a tender kiss on her lips.

She smiled, pulling me down as our lips moved in unison, and I slipped my tongue inside of her mouth, savoring her sweet taste. When we broke apart for air, she nestled against my chest, and I slipped an arm around her.

"Last night was amazing," she said blissfully.

"I know. I'll never forget it as long as I live."

"Me neither."

I was quiet, simply enjoying the feel of holding her in my arms. She directed her warm gaze at me and suddenly began to blush.

"What?", I asked her with a chuckle.

"I love you, Derek."

It amazed me how easily the words rolled off her tongue , as if she'd been saying them for years.

"I love you more," I murmured, kissing her neck, and she laughed.

God, I loved that sound more than anything. Just knowing that she was no longer hurting or crying meant the world to me, and as her husband, I would always strive to make her happy. After all she'd been through, it was the least I could do.

"Oh, I almost forgot. Have you seen my pills?", she asked.

"What pills?" I raised a brow.

"The birth control ones. I swear I packed them with me, but they're not here."

My face instantly grew pale.

"Hold on, you're saying that you haven't been taking them ever since we got to Sydney?"

She nodded her head.

_Shit._

In my head, I quickly counted off the times we'd had sex the past couple of days, and then I began to feel sick to my stomach.

"Derek, what's wrong?" Her face was filled with concern, and she gently touched my cheek.

I exhaled sharply then began shaking my head in disbelief.

"This can't be happening," I muttered.

"What? Please tell me," she pleaded.

"We haven't been using protection. You stopped taking the pills ever since we got here, but I had no idea." I let out an agitated sigh.

She looked utterly confused.

"So? Who cares?"

My eyes widened at her casual behavior, and immediately, I grabbed her shoulders.

"Don't you get it Claire? I could've gotten you pregnant!"

"I know," she said simply.

_What. The. Actual. Fuck._

"Aren't you gonna kill me now or something?"

To my surprise, she began to laugh, and I couldn't help but watch as the blanket slipped off of her naked body, momentarily distracting me. God, she was so mesmerizing.

"Why would I kill you? Derek, this is wonderful. We could actually become parents!"

When she saw that I was silent as a rock, sadness flooded over her features, and she pulled me into her arms.

"Are you thinking about what I said back then?", she asked softly.

"You'd rather die than be a mother to my children," I said with a hint of bitterness.

Even now, it tore me to hear those words. I knew I'd been a terrible husband in the past, but still, what she'd said that night had hurt more than a bullet to my chest.

"Derek, listen to me. You and I have gotten so far in our relationship since then. I love you, and that's all that matters."

"But you don't love me enough to have children with me."

The moment those cold words left my mouth, I instantly regretted them. Tears began to stream down Claire's face, and I felt a knot in my stomach.

"Why are you doing this to me?" Her voice cracked.

"Baby, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to say that." I held her tight against me, stroking her hair with my fingers as I kissed away her tears.

"I  _do_ want to have children with you. Why can't you believe that? We're not like how we used to be."

"I know, sweetheart. I'm sorry."

She stopped crying then looked up at me with her beautiful, sad eyes. The thought of Claire as a mother brought a smile to my face. She'd be the perfect role model for our kids- compassionate, intelligent, and strong.

"You'd make a wonderful mother, you know."

She managed to smile, and I kissed her temple.

"I haven't got the slightest clue about how to be a parent."

"You'll learn fast." I grinned.

"I'm sure you'll be a great dad. I've seen the way you are with Declan and the other kids. They absolutely adore you."

It was true. I loved kids. In fact, I even considered myself an expert on the whole changing diapers thing. Back in high school, I'd always babysit my cousin's kids whenever he and his wife went out.

I could only imagine how incredible it'd be to have children of my own one day.

"What are you thinking about?", Claire asked. I gave her a wicked grin.

"Nothing. Just hoping that I finally knocked you up this time."

"We'll see about that." She playfully threw a pillow at me.

I pretended to pout, and just as she was about to get up, I grabbed her elbow and pulled her on top of me. There was no way I'd let her go this easily, not when she was looking so ravishing this morning.

"What are you-",

My lips landed on hers and she immediately shut up, completely melting into my body. I rolled over so that she was underneath me then began sucking the sweet spot below her ear, eliciting a low moan from her lips.

With my elbows propped on the bed, I worshipped every inch of her skin, paying special attention to her breasts, and she groaned loudly as I brought one into my mouth while fondling the other with my palm.

"Derek, I need you," she panted, tangling her fingers in my hair.

I smirked and pulled down the sheets, tossing them to the side so that Claire lay completely bare to me. Just seeing how wet she was made me ten times harder, if that was even possible.

At that moment, my stomach suddenly began to growl, and Claire laughed. I hadn't even realized how hungry I was. After all, it was past ten o'clock and the last time I ate was at six last night.

"Someone's hungry," she said teasingly.

"I guess. But for now, I'll just have to feast on you."

She blushed furiously, and for the next hour, I did just that, bringing her body to heaven and back as we both fell even deeper in love.

**Claire's POV**

No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't stop smiling. Everything about this trip so far had been perfect, with memories that I was sure to keep with me forever. Of course, the best part was finding out that Derek and I were ready to take on the next step of our relationship- parenthood.

The thought of having a family with him both excited and scared me at the same time, since we were both still so young. But as long as we were together, then everything would be ok. 

Currently, we were enjoying a hearty breakfast in bed after having mind-blowing sex, which had left us too tired and lazy to go anywhere.

"Wow, you made it on the newspaper," I remarked.

"I did?" Derek looked surprised.

I handed him a copy of The Sydney Morning Herald that was left outside our hotel door, and he grinned in amusement as he read the headline out loud:

"Derek Weston- CEO or The Next Justin Timberlake?"

On the front page was a picture of Derek dancing in the club last night that someone had managed to take. His face was turned away from the camera, but his hips, as Shakira would've said, "did not lie."

We spent most of our day cuddling in bed and watching the College Bowl games that were happening back home in the US. Stanford had sealed a spot in the semifinals and was currently playing against Utah, who had been undefeated this season.

On Tuesday, Derek and I flew down to Melbourne to visit my grandma. She'd been a widow for the past five years after my grandpa died from a heart attack, just like my father had.

Luckily, my uncle and aunt lived nearby, so if there was ever an emergency, they could easily stop by her house.

"I still think about your father all the time," my grandma spoke when we were having a family dinner later that week. "After he moved to the States to be with your mom, I rarely got to see him."

Her voice began to crack, and Derek reached out to touch her hand as a gesture of comfort.

"I'm so sorry, Mrs. Delaney," he said apologetically.

"I just wish I could've been closer to him. My husband and I wanted to fly over there ourselves, but his health didn't allow us to. We knew Mark was a busy man, so we never blamed him for not visiting."

A smile touched the corner of her lips as she glanced at me.

"However, we  _did_ get to witness the day you were born, and believe me sweetheart, as soon as I got to hold you in my arms, I knew that your father had made the right choice in leaving Australia to marry your mom."

Tears began to well up in my eyes, but I quickly brushed them away. The last thing I wanted for this day to be filled with sadness and grief. That night, I decided to sleep in my dad's childhood room, hoping to feel connected to him once again.

However, being surrounded by his old belongings and pictures was just too painful, and Derek simply held me as I cried into his chest, missing my dad more than anything in this world.

The following day, we celebrated my 23rd birthday and our one-year wedding anniversary. Technically, our anniversary would've been tomorrow because of the different time zones, but I didn't want to have to spend two separate days celebrating, so we decided to just combine everything.

Derek had made dinner reservations at a fancy restaurant down by the Yarra River. Prior to that, we spent the afternoon with my aunt and uncle at Eastern Beach in Geelong since it was warm and sunny out.

On our way back to my grandma's, I stopped by an elegant gift shop to pick up the custom-made accent light I'd bought for Derek. It was rectangular-shaped with a black frame and displayed a picture of our names traced in sand encircled by a heart. In the corner was our wedding date- January 8th.

Around seven, Derek and I arrived at the restaurant. He looked absolutely dashing in a light blue dress shirt that brought out the color of his eyes and black pants. I wore a melon colored maxi skirt and white lace top.

We chose a table outside that had a breathtaking view of the Yarra River and towering skyscrapers. I decided to order a steak, and Derek opted for the classic Lobster bake.

They were both absolutely delicious, and afterwards, we shared a slice of tiramisu. At one point, he leaned in to lick away a dab of whipped cream that had gotten on the corner of my mouth, and I couldn't help but blush.

"You're so adorable," he said with a grin then reached down beneath the table to grab his present for me. "Happy birthday, sweetheart."

He handed me a small silver bag, which contained a matching box with a sparkling ribbon on it. I slowly opened the lid and inside lay the most beautiful diamond necklace I'd ever seen.

Two hearts had been woven together to form an infinity symbol. It held so much meaning, and as I clutched it to my chest, I looked at Derek lovingly.

"Do you like it?", he asked, reaching out to touch my hand.

"I love it. Thank you, honey," I smiled and pulled his face towards me for a kiss.

"You wanna know why I chose it?", he mumbled against my lips. 

"Why?"

"Because I want forever with you."

I stared into his deep, blue eyes and saw nothing but pure devotion in them. If we weren't in public, I would've crawled onto his lap and kiss him senselessly.

With reluctance, I pulled away from him then settled back in my chair. I handed Derek his gift and as soon as he unwrapped it, a huge smile lit up his face.

"Did you make this yourself?", he asked.

"No, I bought it. I'm not an electrical genius."

He laughed at my bluntness.

"It's beautiful. I'll leave it on our nightstand. Thank you, Claire."

He gave me a brief kiss and I put our gifts back in their bags as Derek paid the bill. Afterwards, we walked along the river hand in hand, admiring the city lights.

"I can't believe it's already been a year," Derek said, pausing to look at the beautiful scenery.

"I know right? But hey, we made it."

He smiled and bent down to kiss my lips.

"Happy anniversary, Claire."

"Happy anniversary, Derek."

The sun began to set, painting the sky with vivid hues of orange and pink as we stood there in each other's arms, happy and in love, just like how it should be.

 


	35. The Greatest News

"Male strippers."

"Oh yes. We  _definitely_  need those," Stacy said with a smirk.

"Claire, do you agree?", Lexi asked me.

"Of course. You know Charlotte and her love for the hot male species."

Hannah stifled a laugh and added "male strippers" to our ongoing list of ideas for Charlotte's bachelorette party. She had decided to leave most of the planning to us since she'd wanted everything to be a huge surprise at the end. The wedding wouldn't be until April though, so we had plenty of time.

It was a Saturday evening in February, and the girls had been at my house for the past three hours. We were all sprawled on the couch, getting fat off of the red velvet cupcakes we'd baked earlier. Charlotte was out of town visiting her fiancé's parents, but she was coming back tomorrow.

"Seriously, Claire, how can you eat so much and not gain a single pound?", Hannah asked, licking the frosting from her fingers.

"Well, unlike you who just sits around watching Netflix all day, she actually exercises," Stacy said matter-of-factly.

Hannah tossed a pillow at her, and I laughed. It ended up landing on Buttercup, who was peacefully napping on the floor along with Buster. Luckily, she didn't wake up.

"Actually, I haven't been able to exercise as much as I used to. Normally, I try to go for a run every day, but my extended hours at the office make it hard to do that," I stated.

"Aww, that sucks," Lexi remarked.

"It does. I usually go to the gym with Derek on the weekends, though, if I'm not too busy."

"Where is Derek, anyways?", Stacy asked.

"Of course you'd ask about him," Lexi rolled her eyes.

"It's not my fault he's a freaking sex god."

I choked on my water, laughing hysterically, and Lexi slapped my back. We all knew Stacy was horrible at hiding her crush on Derek from us. If Charlotte were here, she would've scolded her, but I thought the whole thing was innocent. Stacy was the last girl I could imagine to be a home wrecker. She was just too harmless and sweet.

_Unlike that vindictive skank, Ashley._

"He had to work today, but he should be home very soon," I said.

"I see." Stacy reached for her sixth cupcake.

_How did she_ _not_ _have diabetes..._

"So, back to those male strippers we mentioned earlier," Hannah spoke, sounding professional.

"Can you just imagine Derek as a male stripper? I'd pay a million bucks to see that," Stacy quipped.

"Stace, you seriously need-,"

"Sorry ladies, but the only woman I strip for is my wife," a deep, all-too familiar voice spoke, interrupting Hannah.

We all turned around and there stood Derek by the front door with his arms crossed, looking utterly amused. He gave me a wink, and my cheeks grew redder than a tomato as I got up to go greet him.

"Hey, babe." He smiled, swooping me into his arms for a kiss.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Stacy sigh dreamily, and I hoped that one day, she'd find a Prince Charming of her own to fall head over heels in love with.

"So, what's all this talk about male strippers?", Derek asked, resting his chin on my shoulder from behind as his arms wrapped around my waist. 

"We're planning Charlotte's bachelorette party."

"But her wedding isn't until another two months."

"I know. It's better than trying to cram everything last minute, though."

"True."

Derek kissed the top of my head then directed his attention towards my friends.

"What's up, ladies?"

"Just sitting around eating cupcakes. Want one?", Hannah asked. Derek's eyes immediately lit up.

"Yes ma'am," he said eagerly, releasing me to go grab a cupcake.

Stacy and Lexi scooted over to make room for him on the couch, and he propped his legs up on the table, reaching for the entire plate of cupcakes.

"Please don't tell me you're actually gonna eat them all," I spoke.

"I'm not. I'm gonna share them with these lovely ladies."

He gave Stacy a grin, and I swear she nearly fainted.

Later, we asked my friends if they wanted to stay for dinner, but they declined, saying they didn't want to intrude on me and Derek's 'alone time.'

I decided to make grilled salmon with green beans, and the entire time we ate, Derek kept alternating his gaze between me and my plate to the point where I felt uncomfortable.

As I cut myself a third serving of salmon, he cleared his throat.

"Is something wrong?", I asked.

"Did you eat lunch today?"

"Yeah. And I also had five cupcakes. Why do you ask?"

"You're eating like a starved woman right now, so I thought you must've skipped lunch. Holy shit, Claire,  _five_  cupcakes?"

"Shut up. They were good," I retorted, growing defensive.

Derek held up his hands in mock surrender.

"Easy, Claire. I'm just surprised because you normally never eat this much."

I threw my napkin down on the table.

"Are you calling me fat?"

Derek's eyes grew wide, and he shook his head.

"No, not at all. Why on earth would you think that?"

I quickly stood up from the table to go put my plate in the sink then sauntered out of the kitchen. It was obvious Derek didn't like how I looked anymore hence he suddenly brought up my eating habits. 

The last thing he wanted was for the public to see him with his fat wife. Just last week, Derek and I attended another charity gala downtown, and I couldn't help but feel self-conscious seeing all the beautiful, slim women there. I didn't want to admit it to my friends, but I indeed had gained a few pounds ever since I left Sydney last month.

I tried so hard to control my eating, unfortunately, it proved to be a difficult task. Every time I saw something edible, my mouth would water. Even brussel sprouts- which I never liked in the past- tasted fine to me now.

As I sat on the living room couch brooding, I heard Derek washing the dishes, and when he finished, he went to sit down beside me.

"Why did you just leave like that?", he asked.

"You were right. I  _have_  been eating a lot. I don't know why, but I hate what it's doing to my body."

I was on the verge of tears, and Derek pulled me onto his lap, stroking my hair as he pressed a long, tender kiss to my forehead.

"Every time I look at you, all I see is perfection. Nothing lights up my life the way your smile or laugh does. And as for your beautiful body, it was made by God to be loved by me," he murmured, cupping my chin so I was gazing directly into his blue eyes.

"Darling, I don't want you to ever feel like you have to look a certain way for me. Hell, you could be eighty and wrinkly and still be the sexiest woman in my eyes," he said with sincerity.

"Ok, don't ever use the words 'wrinkly', 'eighty', and 'sexy' in the same sentence," I said, flicking his chest. He chuckled, bringing my hand up to his lips as he delicately kissed my knuckles, warming me from head to toe.

"You get my point. And I'm sorry if I said anything to hurt you earlier."

"It's fine. I was just being overly dramatic."

Derek removed me from his lap after we shared a long, heated kiss and then he walked back to the kitchen. I followed him, admiring the ripple of his muscles underneath his tshirt as he rummaged through the cabinets. It was unfair how he always managed to stay in such good shape.

"What are you looking for?", I asked.

"Leftover frosting," he replied simply. 

"It's in the drawer by the sink."

"Ok."

"And what do you intend to do with the frosting?"

His eyes gleamed with mischief, and he flashed me a panty-dropping smile.

"I'm gonna show you just how much I  _love_ that sexy body of yours."

"Derek James Weston, we do  _not_ use frosting for purposes other than baking."

I pretended to sound like a scolding mother but in reality, Derek's words had left me aching with raw need.

"God, you're so fucking cute."

Giggling, I began to run upstairs to our bedroom, but before I could reach the final step, Derek grabbed my legs and threw me over his shoulder.

"I'm capable of using my own two feet, you know."

He spanked my butt in response, and I immediately shut up. By the time we got to our room, we were like two sexually deprived teenagers. Our clothes were removed in record speed, flying all over the place. Together, we collapsed onto the bed, and the rest of that night was history. And sweet...literally.

***

"Whoa, you look like death," Charlotte remarked as I walked into her office at work on Monday.

"I know. And I feel like it, too," I grumbled.

This morning, my stomach had felt unusually queasy, and I ended up vomiting the contents of last night's dinner into the toilet. Derek suspected that I might have caught food poisoning, and he insisted I take the day off from work, but I told him I was fine.

"So, what happened?", Charlotte asked worriedly.

"I threw up this morning."

Her eyes scanned over my entire figure, and she gave me a weird look, biting her fingernails. It was a habit of hers whenever she was deep in thought.

"Was Derek home when you did?"

"Yeah. We both think that I have food poisoning."

Charlotte slapped her forehead then to my utter surprise burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?", I demanded.

"I swear to god, you and your husband live under a rock. You don't have food poisoning, Claire. You're pregnant!", she said excitedly, grabbing my shoulders.

I quickly began to count how many days had passed since I had my period and realized I had no idea because it'd been so long.

"Congratulations girl, you've just experienced morning sickness for the very first time!" Charlotte was beaming with happiness.

I laughed and pulled my best friend into a hug. Tears of relief and joy spilled down my cheeks. It turned out there  _was_ a reason behind my ridiculous increase in appetite after all.

At that moment, I had no mixed feelings about possibly being pregnant with Derek's child. A few months ago, I would've been unsure and scared, but now, I believed more than ever that this was what we both wanted most.

"I don't wanna ruin your hopes or anything since I was just speculating, so to be sure, you should get a pregnancy check or even see a doctor," Charlotte spoke.

"Definitely. I'll schedule an appointment today after work."

I decided that I wouldn't say anything to Derek until I was certain that I was pregnant. Charlotte also agreed with my approach.

A few days later, I took the day off from work to see my doctor, Simone Gillis, and she had me do a urine test. As I waited for the results, I crossed my fingers that they'd turn out positive.

The moment she came back, I could tell that my prayers had been answered because she wore the biggest smile on her face. 

"Congratulations, Mrs. Weston! You're three weeks pregnant!", she announced happily.

I immediately burst into tears and threw my arms around Dr. Gillis, giving her a bear hug.

We scheduled a date for my next appointment and then I rushed towards downtown, hoping to catch Derek before his lunch break. The moment I stepped out of my car, a slightly chilly breeze hit me, and I wrapped my peacoat tight around my body.

When I passed by the building next to Weston Hotel Group, I spotted Derek clad in a black suit, looking devastatingly handsome as he stood by the traffic light waiting to cross the street.

"Derek!", I exclaimed, running towards him as fast as my boots allowed me to.

At the sound of my voice, he spun around and quickly caught me in his arms just as I collided against his hard chest, nearly knocking him off-balance.

"Claire? What are you doing here?", he asked breathlessly, brushing away a stray piece of hair from my face.

"I have some wonderful news!"

"What news, baby?" He chuckled in amusement.

"You finally knocked me up!"

Derek's eyes bulged out of their sockets as his hand reached out to firmly grip the street light. A few people around us looked at me like I was crazy, but I ignored them. In that moment, it was just me, my husband, and our baby that was growing inside of me.

"Y-you're pregnant?", he sputtered.

"I have been for the past three weeks now, according to my doctor. We're going to be parents, Derek!"

His face split into a huge grin, and I squealed as he effortlessly picked me up in his arms, spinning me around. 

When he set me back down, I wrapped my arms around his neck and stood on my tippy toes to give him a passionate kiss.

"I can't believe this is actually happening," he mumbled against my lips, hugging me tight.

"Me neither. I'm so happy," I whispered as tears began to spill down my cheeks. I looked up into Derek's eyes and saw that he was crying as well.

He placed one last kiss between my eyebrows then rested his forehead against mine.

"I love you so much, Claire."

"I love you, too."

When we finally pulled away from each other, people came up to congratulate us and then Derek looped his arm around mine as we walked towards our favorite French café down the street for a celebratory lunch.

For the very first time, I didn't just see him as my loving husband, but also as the father of my child. And somehow, that made me love him even more.

 

 


	36. Promises

 

"Ooh, that's cold!", I squealed as Dr. Gillis rubbed some gel onto my belly.

"Everyone says that the first time," she said, smiling.

It was a Friday afternoon and both Derek and I had taken an hour off from work for my doctor's appointment. We were practically like two hyperactive kids during the car ride here, unable to sit still and contain our excitement.

Today was my very first ultrasound despite the fact that I was only about ten weeks pregnant. Typically, women received their first ultrasounds somewhere between the eighteenth to twentieth week, but Dr. Gillis wanted to confirm my due date.

Prior to today, getting an acceptance letter from Stanford had been the most exciting thing that'd ever happened to me. Now, I would be experiencing something much greater- the chance to finally see my baby.

Derek gave me a warm smile then turned to the monitor as Dr. Gillis began rubbing the transducer over my abdomen.

"You're still at a very early stage in your pregnancy, so I don't expect we'll see much today," she stated.

I nodded in understanding and simply lay there, waiting. Minutes felt like hours when the silence finally broke.

"I see something!", Derek exclaimed, jumping out of his seat and pointing to the screen.

"What is it, honey?", I asked anxiously.

"Our baby! Aww, it looks like a bean!"

My eyes quickly darted to the monitor and I realized Derek's description couldn't be more accurate. The fetus indeed resembled a bean. At this point, it was difficult to make out any features, but nonetheless, I thought it was the most precious thing I'd ever seen.

"Good observation, Mr. Weston," Dr. Gillis remarked with a laugh.

Derek went to stand next to me and held my hand, giving it an affectionate squeeze.

Apart from seeing our baby, we also got to listen to the steady sound of its heartbeat, and it felt utterly surreal. I couldn't help the tear that escaped as I thought about the new life Derek and I had created together, a symbol of our undying love.

"I can't wait til the day he's born," he said quietly, gazing into my eyes.

" _He?_ You think it'll be a boy?"

"I've been having these feelings, almost like a sixth sense, that you're pregnant with Derek Jr."

I gave him a strange look then began to laugh.

"Derek Jr.? Wow, that's creative."

"I know right." He smirked.

To be honest, I couldn't care less whether we had a boy or girl, but if I had to choose, I'd want our first child to be a boy. It would be nice to have a son that could look after his younger siblings.

Growing up with Justin as my older brother had been wonderful. Our mother never once doubted his ability to protect me and act as my role model. He was kind, responsible, and honest. Any girl would be lucky to have him for a husband.

_Now, if he and Lauren would just get married already..._

When the ultrasound was complete, I changed back into my dress then sat down next to Derek as we listened to Dr. Gillis go over some important details regarding my pregnancy.

"Well, first of all, you're doing great. The baby is healthy, and other than the usual morning sickness and increased sexual drive, you should be perfectly normal."

"Increased sexual drive, huh?", Derek mused, giving me a wicked grin.

I blushed furiously and looked everywhere but at him.

"Of course. Luckily, she has you to take care of that," Dr. Gillis said, winking at me.

"Oh, I'll take of her  _real_ good."

"That's what I thought. And remember, your wife  _is_ pregnant. You young couples are always having rough, wild sex, but if she ever feels uncomfortable or in pain, then you'll need to be more gentle with her," she continued in a serious tone.

"Don't worry, doc, I'm a very flexible guy. Rough sex, make-up sex, gentle sex, you name it."

My jaw dropped to the ground, and the moment Derek's eyes came in contact with mine, I fought the urge to wipe that smug look off his face with my palm.

_Did this man not have a filter?_

To my surprise, Dr. Gillis was laughing, her cheeks bright red.

"Oh my, I definitely did not expect to hear that," she remarked.

"Neither did I," I said acidly, glaring at Derek.

He simply chuckled and draped an arm around my shoulder. I rolled my eyes then with an exaggerated sigh relaxed into his body.

"Last but not least, it looks like your due date will be sometime between mid to late October. If you two don't have any further questions, you're free to go," Dr. Gillis said with a smile.

"Wait, I have one quick question," Derek quickly spoke. I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Yes, Mr. Weston?"

"Is there a certain sex position I should-,"

"Ok, we're leaving," I interrupted, immediately standing up. "Have a nice day, Dr. Gillis." I gave her a warm smile. She shook her head in amusement.

"You too. See you soon."

"Bye, doctor!", Derek called over his shoulder as I forcefully dragged him out of the room.

When we reached our car, I stood on the sidewalk with my arms crossed, ready to give the scolding of a lifetime to my insane husband who didn't know how to keep his mouth shut.

But before I could say a single word, he suddenly dropped to one knee in front of me and unbuttoned my trench coat, exposing my slightly swollen belly. He gently caressed it with his large hand, and I simply stood there, blinking rapidly.

"Daddy loves you, Derek Jr. Your mother and I are counting down the days until we welcome you into this world. Just make sure you don't give her too hard a time, alright?"

Derek placed a kiss on my belly and that was when I became a whirlwind of emotions- love, joy, fear, and sadness. I was scared because I'd heard about mothers who died after giving birth. Situations like those were rare, but they could happen to anyone. I only prayed that my delivery would be successful.

Lastly, seeing Derek as a soon-to-be father reminded me of my own father. In October, all the people I loved would be there to witness the birth of my child. All except him.

Tears automatically began falling down my cheeks, and Derek stood back up, pulling me into a tight embrace.

"Are you alright, sweetheart?", he asked.

"Not really," I said truthfully.

"Well, whatever you're thinking, know that I'll always be here for you." He kissed the crown of my head.

"Promise?"

"I promise. I'll be with you until the day we both take our last dying breath."

Then, his soft lips were on mine and I smiled through my tears.

No matter how many dark, rainy days there were, Derek somehow managed to always bring the light back into my life.

***

The annual bake sale fundraiser for Derek's company was held on the third Saturday of March this year. I'd decided to make decadent dark chocolate brownies using my grandma's famous recipe. I'd inherited most of my baking skills from her.

Tons of families had shown up at the downtown convention center, sampling and buying the different pastries the bake sale had to offer. All proceeds would go to the American Cancer Society.

"How's everything going?", Derek asked, stopping by my table on his way to the lounge area.

"Great. I've sold a ton of these brownies already."

"That's awesome. Have you seen my parents yet?"

"Yeah, I just talked to Heather. She's over the moon about becoming a grandmother," I replied with a smile.

"I bet. Well, if you need me, I'll be over there with Keith and Trent." He motioned towards the main entrance.

"Sounds good."

I sat back in my chair and watched a young couple standing at Jessica's booth. They had a little boy with the cutest brown curls, who couldn't be any older than three, and an even younger daughter, whom the mom was rocking to sleep. Like me, she also had a noticeable baby bump. The dad balanced a ton of pastry boxes in his arms, laughing at something his wife said.

Someday, I wanted a family like theirs. The thought of several mini Dereks and Claires running around the house brought a huge smile to my face. Some of them would have their dad's mesmerizing blue eyes while the rest had my brown ones. No doubt they'd be the most beautiful kids in the entire world.

I was trying to brainstorm names for our future children when a familiar feminine voice brought me back to reality.

"It's nice to finally see you again, Claire."

I looked up to see Ashley Lawrence standing there with a fake smile plastered to her face.

"How have you been?", I asked, trying to sound conversational. Like usual, she wore a tight, low-cut dress with nude designer heels.

"Good. So, Derek told me that he's becoming a father soon."

"You two still talk?"

"Of course. We're friends after all," she said with an emphasis on the word 'friends'.

I began to feel uneasy and silently prayed some magic carpet would come sweep her away. The last thing I wanted was for her to say something to aggravate me.

"I see."

"Well, with your husband's notorious history, I wouldn't be surprised if he already is a father to someone else's kid." She laughed dryly.

I, however, found no humor in her comment.

Simmering with fury, I began to clench my fists, desperately wanting to give her the punch she deserved for everything she'd said and done to hurt me.

"You know, your father should've waited until later to have his heart attack. Derek wouldn't have had to marry you. He'd be married to  _me._  I'd be the one carrying his child, not some random girl he never even gave his heart to. Now he's stuck with you for the rest of his life. How unfair is that?"

At that point, any self control I had left vanished. I finally saw Ashley for what she really was. A cruel, heartless monster. And I was done letting her walk all over me.

"Shut the hell up, you bitch!", I screamed, leaping to my feet.

"Wow, your dad obviously didn't teach you proper manners," she said with a frown.

Without even thinking, I launched myself at her and we both toppled to the ground, knocking over the table as brownies went flying everywhere.

Everything became a blur, and I was able to punch Ashley in the jaw when I felt a pair of arms haul me off her body.

"Claire, what the hell is wrong with you?!", I heard Derek exclaim.

By then, tears of rage were pouring down my cheeks and through them, I could see dozens of bewildered faces staring at me, including my husband's.

Ashley was being helped to her feet by a security guard and as her wicked, amber eyes made contact with mine, I completely lost it.

"How dare you have the nerve to talk about my father that way! You're lucky I didn't fucking kill you!"

I tried to advance towards her, but Derek held me back and I was left struggling in his arms.

"Derek, get your wife out of here. Now," James said sternly. For a brief moment, I thought I saw a look of pity flicker across his features.

As Derek dragged me outside like I was some criminal he'd just arrested, I couldn't bear to look at him. I was crying hysterically, angry at Ashley for ruining my life. I'd allowed her to dump the gasoline into the already raging fire, and I was left dealing with all the damage.

In everyone's eyes, I was some crazy, pregnant woman that had attacked her, but they would never know the cruel words she'd spoken to me that had ignited the flames.

The moment we were alone in Derek's car, I turned towards the window, praying that this all was a nightmare I'd wake up from.

"Claire?"

I remained silent, unable to formulate a single response.

Derek reached his arm out and slipped it around my shoulder, pulling me towards him. Utterly defeated, I buried my head in his chest and cried like I never had before.

"I'm so sorry, babe," he whispered in a pained voice.

"J-just take me home," I begged, my voice muffled against his sweater. He didn't even seem to care that I had dampened it with my tears.

"I have to ask you something first."

"What?" I looked up at him.

"Is our baby ok?"

He was growing paler by the second, worry evident in his downcast eyes as he gently touched my stomach.

"Yes." I placed my hand over his, keeping it there.

A relieved sigh escaped his lungs, and he pressed a kiss to my temple before turning on the ignition.

During the drive home, I dreaded what the public would think once my fight with Ashley made it on the news. I honestly didn't give a damn who they thought I was. However, I  _was_ scared for Derek. This incident could ruin the reputation of his company, or worse, the entire Weston name.

_And it was all because of me._

"Don't worry, I won't let the public know what happened this afternoon," Derek spoke. He basically had read my mind.

"You can do that?"

"Of course. I know a ton of guys that work for the news media. I'll just threaten them if they try to publicize this," he said boldly.

I managed a weak smile then leaned my head against the window, which was pounding like crazy. No doubt I'd be spending the rest of the day in bed with Advil.

"Whatever Ashley said to you, you can tell me later because I know you better than anyone else. You'd never just behave like that without a reason. I can't say I agree with how you dealt with your anger, but I'm sorry this had to happen." Like James earlier, discernible pity dwelled in his eyes.

"Your mom probably hates me even more now than she used to," I said with a bitter laugh.

Derek sighed, reaching for my hand and setting it on his lap as he brushed his thumb over my knuckles.

"I'll explain everything to my parents, don't worry about it. They'll understand."

"And what if they don't?", I asked quietly.

"Then it's their problem, not ours. Like I said before, I'm here for you no matter what, and I don't ever plan on breaking that promise."

Those were the last words I heard Derek say before I completely passed out from exhaustion, wishing that I could just sleep forever and never have to wake up.

 


	37. Find You

 

The alarm clock read 5 o'clock when I finally stirred awake, my eyes swollen from all the tears I'd shed earlier. I was surprised I didn't end up sleeping through the entire day and night after my fight with Ashley. It had definitely taken its toll on me, both physically and mentally.

If Derek had never broken up the fight, I would've given Ashley the beating she deserved. Even now, traces of anger and rage still lingered in my mind, none of which would ever go away until she was out of my life for good. I'd rather stab a needle through my arm than have to see her wicked face again.

At the same time, I absolutely loathed myself for reacting the way I did. The satisfaction of hurting Ashley had blinded me from something much more important- my baby. I couldn't even begin to imagine how devastating it'd be if my actions had harmed our little bean.

Seeing Derek's face back in the car only heightened my feelings of regret. He'd looked so frightened and lost, desperate to be reassured that our baby was fine.

How could I have done that to him?

This whole situation never would've happened if I'd just simply ignored Ashley. Instead, I stooped down to her level and now, I felt more terrible than ever.

Just as I was about to drag myself out of bed, Derek walked in holding his phone to one ear, wearing a plain white tshirt and sweatpants. He gave me a weak smile then sat down at the edge of the bed.

"Who is it?", I mouthed to him.

"Keith," he mouthed back.

I nodded and snuggled back against the pillows, listening to whatever Derek had to say.

"You agree with me on this one, right? It's for the best. I don't want my wife suffering because of her," he stated firmly into the phone.

_Ashley._

My curiosity peaked, and I waited for the conversation to end, hoping that Derek would tell me whatever it was he and Keith were discussing.

When he finally hung up, he set his phone on the nightstand then shifted to lay beside me, pulling me into his arms.

"How are you feeling?", he asked, pressing a kiss to my forehead.

"Somewhat better," I murmured, playing with the hem of his tshirt.

"I explained the incident to Keith. I didn't tell him exactly what Ashley said to you, but I told him how she hasn't stopped causing you pain even though I warned her to leave you alone."

"And what did he say?"

Derek exhaled, staring deep into my eyes, and I saw a ghost of a smile on his lips.

"He said you're the boldest woman he'd ever met."

"Really?" My face lit up.

"Really."

I let out the biggest sigh of relief and Derek chuckled.

"After what happened, I thought everyone would hate me."

"Not a single soul out there could ever hate you, sweetheart. If anything, my fellow coworkers seem to love you more and more each time they meet you. Trent even said that you're better at organizing our company fundraisers than we are."

"Yeah, right," I scoffed.

"It's true. You've got wicked organizational and management skills. But more importantly, you're super lovable." He gave my hip a playful squeeze.

After reassuring me that he and Keith would explain the incident to the rest of their coworkers on Monday at work, he asked about what Ashley had said to aggravate me so much.

"At first, she was just saying the same old things- how if it weren't for me, you two would be together. Then she made a remark about you probably being a father to some other woman's child," I spoke.

Derek let out a snort.

"How accurate of her to say that."

My eyes widened in horror and I bolted upright, growing sick to my stomach.

"You have a kid?!", I screamed.

Derek winced, covering his ear with one hand then sat up as well, turning to face me.

"Jeez, Claire, you didn't have to yell," he grumbled.

"Answer my question!" I slapped my hand on the pillow.

He stared at me wide-eyed then to my disbelief began to laugh hysterically, clutching his stomach as tears formed in his eyes.

"What the hell is so funny?", I demanded.

"Y-you seriously think I have a kid?" He was choking on his laugh.

"You just told me what Ashley said was accurate!"

"I was being sarcastic, Claire. Jesus, calm down."

I groaned in exasperation, sinking back into the bed and Derek stifled another laugh, but I shot him a death glare and he immediately grew serious.

"You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

"Sorry, babe." He made a pouty face, and I threw a pillow at him.

Unfortunately, it ended up hitting the accent light I'd bought him for our anniversary, but just as it was about to crash to the floor, Derek caught it, setting it back on our nightstand.

"Holy shit, that was close." I released the breath I'd held in.

"Watch where you throw things next time," he scolded.

I rolled my eyes and pulled the covers to my chin, turning to face the wall. Derek moved to press his body against mine, draping an arm over my stomach as we lay there in silence.

Eventually, I grew drowsy with sleep and was about to close my eyes when he finally spoke again.

"You never answered my question." His cool breath fanned my neck.

"What question?"

"You never told me what Ashley said that had triggered the fight."

In my head, I was transported back to that exact moment in our conversation when I knew that Ashley had crossed the line. She'd been standing with her hands on the table, talking about my father's death as if it'd been the most casual thing. The worst part? She'd blamed the timing of his death for ruining her relationship with Derek.

That was what had set my heart aflame.

Now, as I lay in Derek's arms, I couldn't even bear to restate her cruel words, but if I didn't tell him, then he'd never understand how I'd felt earlier today.

"The truth is, Derek, hearing Ashley talk about what could've been between the both of you doesn't make me angry. Sure, it's annoying, but it's not worth punching her for," I began.

"So what _else_ did she say?", he prompted, his tone stern.

I turned around so that we were facing each other and opened my mouth to speak but found myself struggling for words. Derek reached out to stroke my cheek with his palm, his blue eyes searching deep into mine, and I felt a sense of security. He was my rock, my source of comfort, and with that thought in mind, I continued.

"She brought up my father. S-she blamed him for ruining your relationship with her."

Inside, I felt a rush of anger and hatred mixed with throbbing pain as tears began to well up in my eyes.

"What exactly did she say?", Derek asked gently.

"She said that my dad should've waited until later to have his heart attack. You wouldn't have had to marry me. You'd marry her instead...and she'd be the one carrying your child, not me."

No matter if I tried to forget them, Ashley's words would always remain burned into my memory. Just like the memory of _her_ would, as much as I didn't want it to. 

"I had no idea...," Derek spoke, his expression tightening into a glower.

"I'm so sorry, baby. I couldn't just sit there letting her plunge the dagger through my heart like that. The way she talked about my father..."

My voice became ragged, and my entire body shook as I sobbed into the pillow, punching the mattress with my clenched fists.

"You have nothing to apologize for, sweetheart," Derek said in a soothing tone, cradling my head in his chest. Through my sobs, I could hear him cursing under his breath.

"What did I ever do to make her hate me like this?", I wailed.

"You've done nothing. She just has an unhealthy dose of jealousy in her veins. Damn it, Claire, if you had told me this when we were still downtown, I would've dealt with her right on the spot."

"How could I? Your father made you drag me out, and I was a complete mess! I couldn't even think straight let alone talk!"

"I know, baby," Derek sighed heavily.

"You wanna know what else she told me?"

"What?"

"That the two of you still talk," I stated bitterly.

Derek narrowed his eyes and pulled himself away from me, standing up. Immediately, my body felt cold from the loss of contact.

"Are we seriously going to go through this again?" His tone was accusatory.

"B-but she-,"

"I talked to her _once_!" He held up a finger for emphasis. "What did I tell you before? You have _nothing_ to be jealous or suspicious of."

"Why are you yelling at me?" I felt so fragile all of a sudden, as if I was going to break under his heated gaze.

He groaned in frustration, running a hand through his hair then collapsed back onto the bed. I lay still, afraid to touch him.

"Apparently, Keith told Ashley that you were pregnant. So, she came up to me one day to ask if it was true and I said yes. That's the only time we ever talked."

"I believe you," I said quietly.

"Good."

I nodded my head, signaling that our conversation was over and turned to face the wall again when Derek gently grabbed my arm.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you. I didn't mean to. I was just angry listening to all the things Ashley said to you." His expression was worn as he held my gaze.

"It's ok." I managed a small smile.

He sighed in relief and pulled me back towards him, draping the covers over our bodies as I lay my head on his chest.

"I should've made my decision a long time ago," he mumbled, staring up at the ceiling.

"What decision?"

"I decided to fire Ashley. I talked to Keith about it, too, and he agreed."

It took a moment for his words to sink in but when they did, I was utterly speechless, consumed by the huge wave of relief that had hit me. After all these months, our issues were finally solved.

"B-but what about her family? You promised-,"

"Your happiness is my priority, not them. Ashley will just have to find a different job some place else."

"I see."

I tried to keep a straight face, but inside, I was leaping with joy.

"I'll serve as a a reference for her if she needs one, but that's it. You and Derek Jr. are the center of my life, and nothing will ever get in the way of that," he vowed, sliding his hand under my dress and drawing small circles on the curve of my stomach.

"I hope he has your blue eyes."

"A million bucks he will." Derek smiled, kissing the top of my head.

"I love you."

"I'll love you more if you shower with me and eat dinner afterwards. I'm starved."

"I didn't make anything yet, though."

"No worries. I made pasta while you were sleeping."

"Wow, I married a pro golfer, dancer, _and_ chef."

"Yup, you won the jackpot." He grinned, pulling me out of bed.

_Indeed_ _I_ _did._

***

"Ashley should've known better than to mess with a pregnant woman," James remarked with a laugh, setting down his glass of whiskey.

We were all seated at the dining table with Derek's parents, enjoying a delicious meal that his mother had prepared while relaying the story of what happened between me and Ashley a week ago.

Over the months, Heather and I had grown extremely close. Although she hadn't been the ideal mother in the past, she'd changed. I confided in her ever since I found out that I was pregnant, and she had amazing advice to give each time.

"The baby was unaffected by the fight, right?", she asked, giving me and Derek a worried look.

"Thankfully, yes," I replied.

"She's a tough one," Derek teased, playfully elbowing my ribs.

"I can see that," James said with a smile. Heather breathed a sigh of relief.

"So, who will your new secretary be now, dear?", she asked.

Derek turned to look at me.

"Who's that one girlfriend of yours? Stacy or something? I'm sure she'd _love_ to work for me."

I immediately shook my head in protest.

"Oh, hell no. As much as I love Stace, I really don't want to picture her all over you."

"I was joking, babe." Derek chuckled.

"You better be."

"Anyway, I'll just post a job listing on the company website and see who's interested," he said to his parents.

They both nodded their consent and then we switched the topic over to baseball. After dinner, I helped Heather wash the dishes while Derek and his father watched the Padres game on TV.

"You know, I was so terrified to come here today because I thought that you and your husband wouldn't understand why I acted the way I did with Ashley. But you did, so thank you," I spoke.

"Of course we'd understand, darling. James and I know the type of woman you are. You've got great character and heart. Derek needed someone like you in his life. If your dad were still alive, I'd thank him for bringing you to us."

I felt tears beginning to form in my eyes, but I quickly forced them down. Instead, I gave her a smile, and she hugged me. 

"Oh, and from now on, just call me 'mom.'"

"Ok. Thank you for bringing Derek into this life. I'm so glad I found him."

Heather's lips quivered and before I knew it, we were both crying- her regretting the past and me missing my father.

Our life experiences- both good and bad- had shaped us into better people, and it was in that moment, embracing Heather, that I felt truly connected to her. She might not be my actual mother, but she sure felt like one to me now.

That night when Derek drove us home, I reminisced about my childhood days back in Minnesota, and it made me miss my family more than ever. I missed the house I grew up in, my old friends, and the Schneiders.

Ever since I married Derek, I hadn't flown home, but I definitely would in the upcoming months.

"Do you have any vacation days left?", Derek asked as we ascended the stairs to our bedroom.

"I have exactly a week. Why?"

The moment I stepped through the door, I noticed a pair of tickets sitting on the dresser. When I went to look at them, a huge smile lit up my face.

"You bought plane tickets to Minnesota?!", I exclaimed.

"Yup. I decided we both needed a few days off to forget about everything that happened last week. You haven't been home in a long time, too," he said, shoving his hands in his pockets. 

"I was thinking about my family just now in the car. God, I can't wait to see them again. I miss my mom so much."

Derek smiled, and I pulled him in for a hug.

"You're the best, you know that?", I remarked.

"I do."

He leaned in and then his lips captured mine in a passionate kiss that left my knees weak. I moaned when his tongue darted into my mouth, tasting and teasing, and I snaked my arms around his neck to pull him closer.

Feeling every inch of his hard body pressed against mine sent delicious tingles down my spine, and with every stroke of his skilled tongue, I ached for more.

When we finally broke apart, my head was spinning as I panted for breath, clutching Derek's biceps. He rested his forehead against mine and curved an arm around my waist, holding me close to him.

"I wish I'd met you earlier in my life," he murmured.

"Why?"

"Because if I did, there never would've been an Ashley or Monica. You'd be my first and only love."

"Oh, Derek...," I breathed, grabbing the collar of his shirt as we both fell back onto the bed, desire coursing through our veins.

"You're mine," he rasped, brushing his lips against my neck.

"Always," I whispered.

Years ago, I never would've thought that I'd ever cross paths with a man like Derek Weston, but now, deep down, I knew that we were destined to find each other.

 


	38. Heartbeat

"For someone pregnant, you sure are quick on that ice," Derek remarked in amusement, gulping down his water bottle as we took a break from our game of pond hockey.

"You should've seen her play in high school. She was a fireball- scoring hat tricks and leading the girls' team to state championships year after year," Justin said proudly, ruffling my hair.

"Oh really?" Derek arched a brow, his eyes twinkling with curiosity.

"My brother's exaggerating. I wasn't _that_ good," I muttered, trying to switch the subject. Unlike Justin, I hated being praised to high heavens. I'd much rather keep my accomplishments to myself.

"She got a scholarship to play D1 hockey at the University of Minnesota her senior year," Justin countered with a bold grin.

"Damn, that's incredible. Didn't Nick play hockey there, too?", Derek asked me.

Justin's eyes quickly darted to mine, trying to read my emotions as I grew still, the feeling of grief and pain fresh in my mind. Ever since we arrived in Minnesota two days ago, I'd thought of my best friend frequently.

The drive downtown yesterday had been especially painful, reminding me of when I'd taken that same route nearly four years ago to see Nick at the hospital before he died.

Tomorrow, I planned to visit both his grave and my dad's after having lunch with the Schneiders'. People always said it'd get easier as time went by, but I had a feeling that wouldn't be the case for me.

"Claire? Where'd you go?", Derek's voice interrupted my thoughts.

"Huh? Oh, I was just thinking for a bit," I mumbled distractedly. "And yes, Nick played hockey for the U."

"Are you alright, sweetheart?", he asked worriedly, reaching out to caress my cheek with his palm.

"I'm fine. Let's go play some more hockey." I stood up on my skates, giving him a look of reassurance.

Derek seemed hesitant for a moment, but then he got up as well, slipping on his helmet. Lauren threw him a hockey stick, and I was about to skate after them when Justin grabbed my elbow.

"What?", I asked him.

"Your husband knows about Nick?"

"Yes. We tell each other everything." I managed a smile then skated towards center ice.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my friends, Becca and Ellie, from high school approaching, and immediately, I dropped my stick, rushing straight at them.

"Claire!", they squealed, opening their arms as the three of us collapsed onto the ice in a huge bear hug.

"Oh my god, I missed you guys so much," I spoke through tears of joy.

"You've been gone for so long! Hell, it's so great to finally see you again." Ellie pulled away to take in my appearance and just like expected, her green eyes drifted down to my stomach. "Girl, you're pregnant?!"

"Almost ten weeks now," I said happily.

"Your body still looks amazing, though," Ellie chirped.

"Who's the baby daddy?," Becca asked with a playful smirk.

"That big ol' klutz." I motioned my head towards Derek, who was trying to score a goal but ended up falling on his ass. We started laughing, and he gave us the finger.

Ellie and Becca both got to their feet, offering a hand to help me up, and as they were putting on their skates, I remembered the moments we spent getting ready for a big game in our locker rooms. Our coach would tell us that no win or loss could define who we were. It was our bond as a team that mattered most.

In fact, I still kept in touch with all of my teammates. Coach Keri would've been proud.

Sunlight had finally broken through the thick clouds, and several other young teenagers began joining us on the ice. Pond hockey was a very popular activity in Minnesota, and I was so happy that Derek got to experience it on this trip as well.

"Well, who do we have here?", he asked as the girls and I skated towards him, Justin, and Lauren.

"Derek, these are my best friends from high school- Becca and Ellie," I introduced.

The moment he took off his helmet, Ellie's eyes popped out of her head, and Becca licked her lips in appreciation.

"It's nice to meet you, girls." He shook both their hands, grinning ear-to-ear.

"You...married... _this_?"

Derek gave me a knowing glance, pretending to roll his eyes, and we both laughed.

"Let's split into our teams now, shall we ladies?" Justin ushered the girls towards the opposite end, and I gave Derek a quick peck on the lips before skating after them.

The hours flew by as the six of us played pond hockey, alternating positions and squeezing in some rounds of penalty shootouts, too. Afterwards, we ate dinner at _Crave,_ one of my favorite restaurants of all time, then decided to crash at Justin's huge estate on Lake Minnetonka for the night.

"How are you liking Minnesota so far?", I asked Derek as we were brushing our teeth.

"I love it. And thanks to your brother, I now know why you have such stamina in bed. Man, I really should've dated more hockey girls in the past." He gave me a cheeky grin, and I slapped him on the arm, blushing furiously.

"They'd crush you."

"I wouldn't mind. Men love when women are in control during sex."

"What on earth am I going to do with you?" I muttered, shaking my head in mock disapproval. He chuckled then resumed brushing his teeth.

When we were both finished, I crawled into bed next to him. It was slightly chilly being in the basement, but the the heat radiating from his body kept me warm.

"Hey, sweetheart?", he murmured.

"Hmm?"

"You never showed me your bedroom when you gave me that tour of your house. I'm curious to see what little Claire and teenaged Claire were like."

It was true. I'd intentionally left out my bedroom during our house tour two days ago because I wasn't ready to face my past. There were too many photos of Nick and my father on the walls and shelves- all of which I knew would hurt to look at. But, sooner or later, I'd have to. Sleeping in the guest bedroom just didn't feel right.

"Tomorrow, I'll show you. I promise," I told him with a smile.

"I'm looking forward to it."

He kissed me tenderly on the lips, and then I buried my face in the crook of his neck, savoring the feel of his arms wrapped around me as we both fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.

The next day, my mom, Justin, Derek, and I drove over to the Schneiders' at noon. We brought a homemade French silk pie and bottle of wine. Buddy, Nick's dog, greeted us at the front porch when we arrived, and he leaped into my arms, lapping at my cheek.

"Aww, he remembers you," Derek remarked.

"Of course he would. I practically lived here as a kid," I said with a smile, nuzzling Buddy's neck. "I missed you too, Buddy-poo."

Before Justin could ring the bell, the door flew open and Nick's mother, Stephanie, stepped out to greet us, wrapping me into a warm embrace.

"Oh, Claire, you're back." Her body shook as tears of joy fell down her cheeks.

The first thing I noticed was how much weight she'd lost since her son's death. Her once glowing skin was now pale, and the familiar sparkle in her hazel eyes had vanished as well. Nick had been an only child, so I couldn't even begin to imagine what she'd gone through.

"And you must be Derek. I've heard wonderful things about you from your mother-in-law. My husband and I have stayed at a couple of your hotels, too," Mrs. Schneider said with a smile, giving him a hug.

"Is that so? Well next time, I can give you a discount." He winked at her, and she glanced over at my mom.

"He's definitely a keeper," she quipped then ushered us inside her home.

I set the bottle of wine and pie on the dining table and went to greet Nick's dad in the living room. He looked just like his son, except his eyes were brown instead of hazel. Like Stephanie, he'd aged dramatically over the years.

At first, we talked about my life in California, both before and after college, and then the subject of the conversation shifted to Nick.

"Did you know that they renamed the Gophers' hockey facility to the Nicholas A. Schneider Arena?"

"Oh, really? When?"

"Two years ago. You were in college at the time."

"That's incredible. It must've meant a lot to you and your wife."

He nodded solemnly, his eyes brimming with tears, and I fought back my own as well, but the moment I saw the picture of Nick hanging by the fireplace, I nearly lost all control of my emotions.

It was the last picture his family ever took of him at the NHL Draft. In it, he was carrying me on his back, and we both wore Blackhawks jerseys with matching smiles on our faces.

"He loved you a lot you know. You were like the daughter we never had." Mr. Schneider gave me a sad smile, looking at the same picture I was.

"I know. I loved him, too. It's crazy what life throws at us, huh?"

"Life isn't fair, but it's still worth living. Anyways, enough of all this moping around. Let's go have ourselves a nice meal now. I'm getting hungry." He stood up, patting his belly.

I smiled and together, we walked over to the dining room. Derek was having a conversation with my mom and Nick's, and they were both laughing at something he'd said.

"What's so funny?", I asked, wrapping my arms around his waist from behind.

"We were talking about how you gave Ashley a taste of her own medicine last month."

My eyes widened in complete mortification, and that only made them all laugh harder.

"What the hell, Derek? Are you trying to get me disowned or something?" I was furious, but most of all, utterly embarrassed.

"Relax, dear. I would've done the same thing. When someone tries to befoul your name, you bitch-slap the daylight out of them," my mom said boldly.

"You add that to your Parenting 101 guidebook, Derek," Stephanie added.

"Will do, Mrs. Schneider," he acquiesced, shooting me a playful grin.

 _I hate you,_ I mouthed to him. He simply laughed. I had to admit, he was getting along so well with everyone, especially my mom.

I wondered if they had secret gossip sessions about me on the phone.

Lunch was absolutely delicious, and not surprisingly, I ate the most out of all of us. Mrs. Schneider knew about my increasing appetite due to pregnancy, so she kept spooning extra servings onto my plate. I hadn't minded it at all.

We spent time afterwards looking through old family albums in the living room- most of which contained pictures of Nick and me. Occasionally, I'd glance over at Derek to see how he was feeling, and for the most part, he seemed happy. But at the same time, I could also detect a hint of sadness and longing in his eyes.

"Your son must've been a wonderful man. Very handsome, too," he said to Nick's mom when we flipped through high school pictures.

"He was. He inherited his dad's looks." She smiled at her husband, squeezing his hand.

Derek stopped on a picture of me and Nick taken during prom, and there was no denying we would've made an amazing couple. He'd worn a black suit and gold tie to match my dress that night.

"You looked absolutely breathtaking," Derek murmured in my ear.

"Thanks." I smiled at him.

"Any girl would've been so lucky to marry Nick. He was the most down-to-earth, selfless guy I'd ever met. I honestly thought he'd be my brother-in-law one day. You two were perfect for each other, Claire," Justin remarked, taking a swig of his beer.

I shot him a hard look, and to my disappointment, saw Derek get up from the couch. His expression was impassive, and I mentally slapped my brother in the face.

"Hey, where are you going bro?", Justin asked.

"Outside. I need to make an important phone call real quick. For work," he replied with a distant tone.

"Derek-," I called, about to follow him when the front door burst open and my friends, Ellie and Becca, walked in. He slipped past them and headed outside.

"Ready to go shopping now?", Becca asked me excitedly. "Oh, hi Mr. and Mrs. Schneider."

"Hello girls," Stephanie greeted with with a smile.

"I was about to leave pretty soon. You guys didn't have to drive here," I said.

"Well, Nick's house is on the way to the mall so we thought it'd be more convenient to just pick you up here," Ellie spoke, flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder.

"Alright then. Let me grab my purse."

I hugged Nick's parents good-bye, and when we headed outside, I couldn't see Derek anywhere. My heart was aching for him, knowing how difficult it must've been for him to sit through all of the pictures and stories of me and Nick.

Believe me, I'd been in his position before.

Justin had always been honest and spoke whatever was on his mind, but I wished he hadn't said a word back in the living room. Now, Derek was probably jealous and hurt. I'd definitely talk to him as soon as I got home later. God knows how much he meant to me. Nothing could ever rival the love I felt for him.

Putting my worries aside, I got into Becca's car, excited to spend some quality time with my friends. During the drive to Mall of America, we belted out our favorite songs on Ellie's phone and played the "Fuck, Kill, Marry" game, laughing so hard we cried. It honestly felt as if I'd never graduated high school.

When we arrived at the mall, the first thing Ellie did was drag us into the nail salon to get manis and pedis. Then, we visited all of our favorite stores, but I came out empty-handed each time. My closet back home was absolutely stuffed, and the last thing I needed was clothes. I did, however, buy a Wild hockey jersey for Derek as a souvenir.

Our last hour at the mall consisted of stuffing ourselves with crêpes and going on the Log Chute- a popular ride at Nickelodeon Universe. The highlight was seeing Becca outwardly flirt with one of the college guys that stood in line with us.

And yes, she'd even used a pick-up line.

Fortunately, she managed to get his number, and the two of them planned to hook up on campus next week. I wasn't surprised- Becca Davison was drop dead gorgeous and could get any guy she wanted.

"So, where to next?", Ellie asked when we were back in the car.

"Can we stop somewhere to buy flowers real quick? I want to visit the cemetery," I replied.

"Of course. We'll go with you, too." Ellie smiled, and I sighed with relief. It probably wouldn't be so bad if the girls were with me.

"I appreciate it."

"Anytime. Nick was our best friend too."

Becca nodded her head in agreement.

It was around seven when we arrived at the cemetery. The trees were bare, and a thin layer of snow covered the hard ground. Next to me, Becca was shivering from the chilly air, her expression desolate- mirroring mine.

"Crap, my little brother just called. He says he's having trouble breathing," Ellie announced worriedly.

"Oh no, is he home alone?", I asked, remembering that he had asthma. 

"Yeah. Both my parents are at work."

"You should go make sure he's ok."

"But what about you? We can't just leave you alone," Becca spoke.

"I'll be fine. I can call Justin to pick me up. He knows I'm here," I reassured.

"You sure?"

"Positive."

We all hugged, and I promised to hang out with them again before returning home. As soon as they left, I walked towards my dad's grave, wrapping my sweater tight around my body to block out the cold air.

My heart felt heavy with grief as I knelt on the ground, staring at the words engraved on his headstone.

"I'm finally home again, dad. It doesn't feel the same though, because you're not here," I said out loud as tears began falling down my cheeks.

"But guess, what? In just a few months, you're going to be a grandpa. Isn't that crazy? We don't know if we're having a boy or girl yet, but I know for sure our child will have your kind heart.

"Mom and Justin are doing well, and it makes me happy. I wish we all lived together, though. Oh, and one more thing, dad. I want to thank you. For bringing Derek into my life." I smiled through my tears.

"Without him, I don't know where I'd be. He saved me, and for that, I'll always love him."

I set down the white carnations I'd brought for him then stood up to my feet just as a few snowflakes began to fall.

"I love you, dad, and I can't wait til the day I see you again," I whispered, touching his headstone with my fingertips.

At that moment, I felt completely and utterly alone, missing my father so much it hurt. When I made it to Nick's grave on the other side of the cemetery, I fought to keep my emotions at bay, inhaling deep breaths.

"Missed me, Schneider?", I spoke quietly. Almost as if he could hear me, the trees nearby started to rustle.

"It's been nearly four years already, and I'm still angry at God for taking you away from your family...and me. We were supposed to jump into a freezing lake on our 21st birthday, travel to Europe after graduating college, go skydiving..."

Depleted of all my strength, I sank down to the ground, overwhelmed with devastation and pain. The zinnias I'd brought for Nick fell out of my hand as I buried my face in my knees and cried, releasing every emotion I'd kept bottled up the past two days.

Coming here tonight _definitely_ hadn't felt easier than the previous times.

Just when I thought I was going to mourn the entire night at Nick's graveside, I heard the sound of a twig snap behind me, and before I could turn around to see what it was, I felt a large hand on my shoulder.

"Claire?", a male voice spoke.

I was about to scream when the figure came into view, and immediately, I could distinguish the face through my tears.

Derek.

"Oh, thank goodness you're here." I stood up to his height, flinging my arms around his neck.

"What's wrong, baby?" His brows were knitted in concern as he tilted my chin up, wiping away my tears with his thumb.

"I-I miss my father. And Nick. Everywhere I go, I think of h-him. And being at his house didn't help either," I choked through my sobs.

I heard Derek release a deep breath and then his arms were wrapped around me, holding me to his chest. He pressed a kiss to my forehead as he brushed the snowflakes from my hair.

"Just let it all out, sweetheart. It's ok," he soothed, running his hand up and down my back. "Jesus, you're shivering."

I'd been so busy crying, I hadn't even realized how cold I was. Derek shrugged out of his jacket and put it on for me over my sweater. Right away, I felt ten times warmer.

"How'd you know I was here?", I asked.

"Justin told me. But why are you all alone like this? Where the hell are your friends?" He frowned, his eyes roaming the entire cemetery.

"Ellie's brother was having trouble breathing...b-but at least you're with me now." I clung to his shoulders, and he hugged me tight, absorbing my pain and loss as he kissed the tears away.

"I should take you home now before you catch a cold," he murmured.

I nodded solemnly, glancing one last time at Nick's headstone before letting him lead me out of the cemetery. 

As soon as we got inside my mom's Jeep, Derek turned the heat on full blast, making sure I was as warm as possible. Having him by my side definitely eased the pain, and when he reached across the console to hold my hand, I couldn't help but smile. 

"That was my first time in a cemetery, you know," he remarked.

"Oh, really? Have you ever attended a funeral before?"

"Nope. I consider myself lucky. But anyway, I hung out with your mom while you were gone. She's an amazing woman, Claire- everything my mom never was- and you're lucky to have her in your life," Derek said, a hint of remorse in his tone.

Every time I was reminded of his terrible childhood, my heart ached for him. He had lacked love during the most crucial part of his life, and as long as I lived, I would love him the way he'd always deserved to be loved, with every fiber of my being.

I only hoped he knew that.

"Can I ask you a question, Derek?"

"Anything." He brought my hand up to his lips, pressing a soft kiss on the backs of my knuckles.

"Earlier today, when we were at Nick's...why did you leave?"

His expression tightened, and he released my hand, staring at the dark road ahead. The air instantly grew silent between us as I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, turning to face the window.

Since it was obvious Derek wouldn't respond anytime soon, I began to talk.

"I'm sorry for what Justin said. That's the reason you left, isn't it?"

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Claire. If anything, I should be the one apologizing."

"For what?" I was confused.

"Everything." His voice was a pained whisper.

I took his hand, resting it on my thigh as I turned to look at him.

"What's wrong? Talk to me, Derek," I demanded worriedly.

"You want the truth? The entire time we were at Nick's...I felt like complete shit. Hearing all those stories about the two of you growing up, how great a guy he was...it struck me like a bullet to the chest."

His blue eyes were piercing through mine, and they were filled with so much hurt, I wanted to just make whatever pain he was feeling go away.

"You know what I felt when your brother said those words? I felt nothing but anger and hatred towards myself. Because Justin was right. Nick never would've put you through any of the pain and shit I did at the beginning of our marriage. It hurt like hell to admit, but you would've been better off with him."

"Derek-,"

"I know the circumstances surrounding our marriage weren't ideal, and you had to leave your family in Minnesota. But as selfish as it sounds, if your father didn't die, I might never have gotten the chance to meet you. Because know this, Claire- falling in love with you was the greatest thing that ever happened to me, and I don't regret any of it."

Tears streamed down my cheeks as I absorbed everything Derek was saying. He had just let all his walls down and left his heart stripped bare- not holding anything back. In that moment, I looked at the man I married and saw nothing but selflessness, love, and devotion.

"I know I'll never be the man Nick was. I know you'll never love me the way you loved him. But know that as long as I live, I'll never stop loving you."

A tear trickled down his cheek as he squeezed my hand, and then I completely died inside.

Luckily, we were arriving at my house, and the moment he put the car in park, I took off my seat-belt and crawled over the console, sitting down on his lap.

"Derek, look at me," I breathed, holding his face in my hands. His sad blue eyes slowly lifted to meet mine, and I rested my forehead against his. "I want you to promise me something."

He sighed heavily.

"Promise me you'll never compare yourself to Nick ever again. I did love him once when we were teenagers, but the love I feel for you now...it's so much more.

I held his hand over my heart.

"As long as you can feel this...know that you're the reason it's beating," I whispered.

And then, his lips were on mine as I melted against his body, letting go of all the pain. With each stroke and caress of his tongue, I could taste the saltiness of our tears combined with a slight trace of peppermint, and it left my head spinning.

I ran my fingers through his hair, eliciting a groan from deep in his throat, and the sound was like heaven to my ears. Just when I thought I couldn't get enough, he brought my tongue into his mouth, sucking on it as I let out a quiet moan.

As much as I wanted him at that moment, I wasn't going to do it in the back of my mom's car. So, with reluctance, I pulled away before we could go too far.

My chest was rapidly rising and falling as I straddled Derek's lap, ignoring the obvious erection growing in his pants- I'd deal with it later. He placed one last chaste kiss on my lips, and then we both got out of the car, feeling a whole lot better than we had before.

The snow had stopped falling, and above us, the stars were twinkling brightly against the blanket of the night sky. I knew that Nick and my father would always be up there to watch over me, and in that sense, it was like they'd never left this earth.

With that belief in mind, I went inside the house with Derek, trying to make as little noise as possible in case my mom was asleep.

"I could sure go for some hot chocolate right now. You?", he asked.

"You know I can't resist chocolate."

"Alright then. You go take a nice, warm shower, and I'll make us some hot chocolate. With marshmallows."

"Sounds perfect." I smiled. "Oh and before I forget, I got you something at the mall today."

I dug into my large purse and pulled out the Zach Parise jersey for Derek. He thanked me and then I headed downstairs to take a shower, changing into my favorite cotton pajamas and plush robe afterwards.

The hot chocolate was already on the coffee table when I finished blow-drying my hair, and Derek sat on the couch, sipping from his mug. He'd changed into a tshirt and pajama bottoms as well.

"Come here." He smiled, patting the empty space next to him. I grabbed the blanket at the end of the couch and draped it over our bodies.

"Ooh, this is nice," I commented, noticing that the lights were dimmed. He'd also turned on both the fireplace and speaker system.

"I tried." He gave me a boyish grin, and I leaned in to kiss his cheek.

For a while, we just sat there drinking our hot chocolate, simply relaxing and enjoying each other's company. Then, Carrie Underwood's _Heartbeat_ began playing through the speakers, and I immediately stood up.

"Derek, I _love_ this song. Like _really_ love it. It's so beautiful," I said with a gentle sigh, clasping my hands together. "Dance with me?"

Derek chuckled, his eyes shining with mirth and adoration as he stood up and reached for my hand.

"I'd be honored to, Mrs. Weston."

He led me to the open area by the fireplace and wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me close to him. With my arms around his neck, we began to sway to the music. During the refrain, Sam Hunt's vocals blended perfectly with Carrie's, just like how perfect it felt being in Derek's arms.

"I love you, Claire," he murmured, brushing his lips against my hair.

"I love you, too, Derek. More than you'll ever know."

I laid my head on his chest, and like high school lovers, we danced in the night to the rhythm of his heartbeat.


	39. Fling Before the Ring

For the remainder of our visit, I spent as much time with my mom as I could. Yesterday, we'd gone shopping and ate lunch at Benihana's. Later, both Ellie and Becca joined us for a spa retreat, and we wrapped up the night at a concert downtown.  
  
Coincidentally, a new project had also launched yesterday for Derek's company, so he spent the entire day at home busy with work and teleconferences.  
  
Tonight was our final night in Minnesota, and the thought of having to leave my mom devastated me. I'd constantly talked her into moving back to California, but she always refused, saying that her true home was here. Abandoning it would feel like she'd abandoned my father.  
  
For a long tine, I knew that my mom would never get remarried. Sure, she'd been on a few dates, but none of them were serious. Mark Delaney was the first and last man to have ever claimed her heart, and she'd love him always.  
  
On a different note, my brother finally proposed to his girlfriend, Lauren, two days ago, and we'd all gone out to celebrate. I was incredibly happy for them.  
  
It was sad, though, knowing our dad wouldn't be there to see him get married. When I was little, I used to always dream about my wedding day. I'd seen tons of movies where the bride's father walked her down the aisle as they both beamed with joy.  
  
Unfortunately, I didn't get to experience any of that.  
  
Instead, my wedding day had been filled with resentment and grief, but it didn't matter. As long as Derek and I loved each other and were happy, then our not-so-happy wedding could just be locked up along with the rest of our bad memories.  
  
Justin and Lauren came over for dinner, and my mom made her famous spaghetti and meatballs. Afterwards, we headed to the living room to watch the Wild game while Justin brainstormed baby names for his future nephew.  
  
Yes, he also believed Derek and I were going to have a boy.  
  
When it was becoming late, my brother and his fiancé went home, and my mom headed upstairs to bed, leaving me alone with Derek.  
  
"Are you sleepy yet?", I asked him.  
  
"No. Why?"  
  
"Umm...well, you see, there's something I've always wanted to do but haven't gotten the chance to."  
  
His mouth curved into a lazy smile.  
  
"I'm listening."  
  
"I want to go jump in that lake down the street. With you."  
  
His eyes widened in horror, and immediately, he shook his head, protesting.  
  
"Are you out of your mind?"  
  
"Please. It'll be fun. Trust me."  
  
I didn't mention that this was on my bucket list of things to do with Nick, but Nick or no Nick, I still really wanted to do it. My other friends had participated in the Polar Plunge previous years- an annual event to raise money for the Special Olympics that involved jumping into a tub of ice cold water- and they said it'd been loads of fun.  
  
"Explain to me how getting hypothermia is supposed to be fun." Derek crossed his arms, staring pointedly at me.  
  
"We won't get hypothermia. Besides, it's not that cold outside right now. Forty-two degrees is above freezing."  
  
"Jesus, Claire."  
  
"So, is that a yes or a no?"  
  
"Yes. But if I don't find it _fun,_ then you're in big trouble."  
  
I watched his retreating back as he went downstairs to grab towels and then I did a victory dance.  
  
Ten minutes later, we were approaching the edge of the lake. Most of the ice had melted off, and next to me, Derek stood in his tshirt and jeans, eyeing the deep, dark water with an apprehensive look.  
  
"You do know we're not even allowed to be out here this late," he said matter-of-factly.   
  
"It adds to the excitement." I smiled at him, proceeding to take off my shoes.  
  
"What have I gotten myself into?", he grumbled, stepping out of his Converse.  
  
I laughed, and then suddenly, a brilliant idea came to mind. I remembered back during the fall when I'd messed with Derek's head- telling him that I'd gone skinny dipping with Grant Easton, a college friend, when in fact, I never did. It was just a way to get him all riled up.  
  
But now...  
  
With a mischievous smile, I began to pull my shirt over my head, leaving me in a red lace bra. Goosebumps formed all over my arms, and I shivered from the cold, but the instant Derek's hooded gaze was on my body, I felt hot from head to toe.  
  
"What the hell do you think you're doing?", he rasped, grabbing my waist and pulling me towards him.  
  
"Isn't it obvious? I'm stripping."  
  
"The hell I'm gonna let you do that." His voice was a harsh whisper.  
  
"You're such a grump. Live a little." I flashed him a smile, and reached behind me to take off my bra, tossing it to the ground.  
  
Derek's eyes grew dark with lust at the sight of my full breasts, and when his fingertips gently brushed over my nipples, I shuddered, aching for more of his touch.  
  
"We better get in the water," he breathed.  
  
I nodded, and then we quickly undressed, the charge of sexual tension between us like electricity in the air. Derek finished before me and stood there in all his naked glory in the pale moonlight, stealing my every breath away.  
  
"Ready?", I asked as soon as my panties were off.  
  
"Nope, but who cares?"  
  
Together, we jumped into the lake as the frigid cold water engulfed our bodies. It felt like a million icicles were piercing my skin, and my teeth began to chatter loudly.  
  
"Holy fuck, my balls are gonna freeze!", I heard Derek exclaim.  
  
I burst out laughing, momentarily forgetting about the fact that my blood was probably starting to freeze also. Keeping my head above the water, I swam the short distance over to him.  
  
Before I could say a single word, his arms latched around my waist, and I could feel every inch of his hard muscles pressed against my soft curves.  
  
"You're crazy," he spoke gruffly in my ear.  
  
"For you." I smirked, grinding my hips against his. He growled, biting the sensitive flesh on my neck, and I let out a moan.  
  
"If I'm not inside you the next five minutes, I'm gonna lose it."  
  
 _Damn...  
_  
The next thing I knew, he scooped me into his arms and carried me to shore. We quickly put our towels on then grabbed our clothes from the ground, running down the dark, empty street towards home. The rush of adrenaline pounded in my ears.  
  
"We're gonna be such terrible influences on our kids," I said breathlessly.  
  
"They'll never know about this." He gave me a roguish smile.  
  
The moment we made it home, I rushed to the backyard, turning on the hot tub. After the near-hypothermia experience we just had, I was more than grateful to jump into some nice, warm water.   
  
And of course, make hot, sweet love to my husband.  
  
***  
  
Two weekends before Charlotte's wedding, I threw her the greatest bachelorette party in the history of parties. There were a total of fifteen girls in attendance- all of whom were close friends and relatives of the bride.  
  
I'd specifically made sure that her "Final Fling Before the Ring" was as wild and raunchy as possible without crossing the line. It tailored perfectly to her crazy, outgoing personality, and of course, love for the hot male species.  
  
I'd chosen _Spin_ for the location, an upscale, multilevel nightclub that had a rooftop bar. None of us had ever been there before, but I was certain we'd love it. In addition, I also booked a suite at the US Grant for us to crash in following the party. That had been Stacy's idea.  
  
All of us wore little black dresses, with the exception of Charlotte, who wore a bright red dress that accentuated her curvy figure and highlighted her blonde waves.  
  
Heads turned the moment we stepped into the club, and a bunch of guys in the back were catcalling, their eyes roaming over us in appreciation.  
  
The past week, I had planned a scavenger hunt for all of us to participate in. There were twenty tasks total- each one worth different points depending on how "risky" they were. In the end, whoever had the most points would win a Victoria's Secret gift card worth $500.  
  
Already, I was betting on the bride herself to win it.  
  
We were at the bar getting drinks when I showed the girls my list for the scavenger hunt. Since I was pregnant, I had opted for a non-alcoholic Miami Vice.  
  
"Oh my god, this is too good," Charlotte squealed. "Have a guy show you their favorite sex position."  
  
"Number eight is my personal favorite. Drink a blow job shot between a guy's legs," Stacy quipped.  
  
We all burst out laughing.  
  
"Jeez, how'd you come up with all of these?", Charlotte asked.  
  
"The Internet," I said with a nonchalant shrug, taking a sip of my drink.  
  
"Of course. Now, let's go make this an unforgettable night." She beamed happily, hooking her arm through mine as we headed to the dance floor.  
  
J. Dash's _Wop_ pounded through the speakers, a timeless hit they always used to play at Homecoming back in high school. And yes, we even did the Wop like the crazy white girls that we were. The guys in the crowd loved it, hooting and hollering as we wiggled our asses in the air shamelessly.  
  
I loved the feeling of being able to let loose on the dance floor. It brought out the wild, reckless side of me, and even Charlotte was surprised when I was the first one to complete a scavenger hunt task.  
  
While we were dancing, I managed to get a condom from some blonde guy, which had been number ten on the list. All I had to do was ask, and he handed it over.  
  
But of course, I turned down his offer to sleep with me. Instead, I'd told him that it was my friend that needed one, not me.  
  
"Whatever happened to the old Claire? The one that used to yell at me for grinding on guys?", Charlotte teased.  
  
"I guess Derek was finally able to bang some sense of fun into her. We should thank him," Hannah said, her eyes twinkling with mischief.  
  
I blushed, and Charlotte playfully pinched my cheek.  
  
"You're too cute, Claire."  
  
About an hour into the party, we decided to head on up to the second level where the male strippers I'd hired were. They put on a private show that left the girls and I feeling hot all over, especially Charlotte, who looked like she'd died and gone to heaven.  
  
Throughout the night, we danced, drank, and played the wildest games. By eleven, the scavenger hunt was completed. Charlotte ended up winning, which was what we'd all predicted. No one could drink as many shots or handle guys as well as she did, and we had the photos to prove it, too.  
  
"I've never had this much fun in my entire life," Charlotte slurred as I dragged her up to to the rooftop to cool off. She was completely wasted.  
  
"I'm glad."  
  
"You're the best matron of honor ever." Her arms wrapped around me in a big bear hug, and I smiled. I loved being able to make my best friend this happy.  
  
Around one in the morning, we all crashed at the US Grant hotel. I couldn't even imagine what a hot mess I looked like right now. My dress stuck to me in the most uncomfortable places, and the soles of my feet ached from dancing all night.  
  
Those of us who still had energy left went downstairs to the indoor pool, but as for me, I passed out on the luxurious queen bed within seconds.


	40. How it Used to Be

 

Summer came right around the corner and with it brought plenty of warmth and sunshine. I spent most of the day in the office, but during my lunch breaks, I'd try to eat outdoors as much as possible.

And of course, evening runs were still an essential part of my daily routine to stay in shape. Back then, Derek and I would run together or hit the gym after work. Lately though, his job had consumed him to the point where he couldn't even get home until at least eight every night.

Since we came back from Minnesota, he'd gone on three out-of-state business trips, each one lasting almost a week. Our regular visits to the doctor together were long gone, and I'd simply been going by myself after work.

Derek's job as a CEO was demanding- I completely understood that- but I hated feeling like I'd been thrown to the side. I couldn't even remember the last time we went out to dinner together.

Honestly, I didn't need him to take me anywhere. I just missed being with _him_. We rarely had sex anymore because he always came home tired after work. Sometimes, he'd end up falling asleep in his suit, and on those nights, I absolutely pitied him.

The fact that I was pregnant definitely made it harder. My hormones were constantly raging, and every time I laid eyes on Derek, I desperately wanted him. Tired or not, he always managed to look so goddamned sexy.

I didn't want my sexual drive to keep him from getting the rest he deserved, though, so I tried my best to control it, which turned out to be a lot harder than I'd hoped. On nights he did make love to me, I was the happiest girl alive.

But in the morning, I'd wake up alone in our bed, feeling utterly alone.

Luckily, I still had Buster and Buttercup to keep me company. They'd both grown a lot over the past couple of months. Often, I'd take them on my daily runs to ensure they got the exercise they needed as well. Like me, their appetites were huge.

It was a rainy Saturday in June, and I was having lunch with Charlotte at our favorite French restaurant downtown. Her wedding back in April had been a huge success, and every time I saw her, she glowed like the sun. Elliot was probably doing a fantastic job keeping her happy at home.

"We need to go looking for maternity clothes after this," she spoke, taking a bite of her sandwich.

I looked down at my baby bump, which was becoming more noticeable each week. Next Friday was my appointment with Dr. Gillis, and we were finally going to determine the baby's gender. I'd been counting down the days since May.

Hopefully, Derek would be able to come this time.

"We do. My jeans are barely fitting me anymore. What am I supposed to wear now?"

Charlotte smiled, placing her hand over mine.

"Leave it to me, girl. We're getting you a wardrobe makeover. You're gonna look so hot, Derek will be begging to get in your pants."

_I wish..._

"Hey, why so sad?", Charlotte inquired, her eyes searching my face.

"I'm not sad."

"Yes you are. I've noticed it at work, too. Is something going on between you and Derek?"

I could never get anything past my best friend. She read me like an open book.

"No. It's just...he's been so busy with work lately, I hardly ever get to spend time with him anymore." My shoulders slumped as I slid a piece of steak around my plate.

"Aww, that sucks. Is it bothering him, too? Not being able to spend time with you?"

"I would hope so."

Charlotte sighed, giving my hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Derek loves you, Claire. I know he hates it just as much as you do."

I managed to smile at her words, feeling like a weight had been lifted off my chest. We resumed eating our lunch, and I wondered why she'd never considered becoming a counselor. She always knew the right things to say.

Later that day, Charlotte dropped me off at my house, and I saw Derek getting out of his car just as I was about to head inside.

"Let me grab those for you," he called, jogging towards me.

I handed my shopping bags over to him, noticing that he was dressed in jeans and a plain black tshirt. Obviously, he hadn't been at the office.

"Where'd you go?", I asked.

"I had to run a couple of errands." He opened the door, and I followed him inside, feeling skeptical. His responses were never this vague.

He went to put my bags in our bedroom, and when he came back to the living room, I stood with my arms crossed.

"Are you hiding anything from me?" My voice was steady, but inside, I was shaking with anxiety.

He arched his brow in surprise then made his way over to me.

"Why would you say that?" He looked cool, impassive.

"I-I don't know. Forget I asked."

"Baby...," He cupped both sides of my face, closing the distance between us. "I would never hide anything from you. You know that."

His eyes gazed into mine with such sincerity, I felt like an idiot for having doubted him at all.

"I'm sorry."

"No need to apologize." He smiled, pressing a light kiss to my forehead, and I was reluctant when he let me go.

***

Just like I had expected, Derek wasn't able to attend my doctor's appointment on Friday. It turned out he had a business meeting in New York scheduled for Wednesday and wouldn't be home until tonight.

At least I only had to wait a few hours to tell him the news.

"No Derek today?", Dr. Gillis asked when I stepped into her room.

I shook my head sadly.

"Let me guess. He's off somewhere trying to get the best contract for his company?"

"Like always."

"My husband's the same. He works in the executive department of an insurance company downtown. When we first got married, I didn't get how he could dedicate so much of his time to his job. But I realized that like me, he also loved what he did."

"And that's why we're happy for them."

"Exactly." She smiled kindly then transformed into work mode. "Now, let's see if you're carrying a boy or girl."

Like usual, I climbed onto the examination bed after changing out of my clothes. As Dr. Gillis rubbed the wand over my abdomen, I kept my eyes fixed on the screen.

The image was fuzzy at first, but eventually, it became more distinct and clear. That was when Dr. Gillis made the big announcement.

"Congratulations, Claire. You're having a boy!"

I looked more carefully at the screen, and sure enough, my child was indeed a boy. The certain anatomy between his legs was hard to miss.

Right away, I thought of Derek. His hunch had been correct after all. It must've been some sort of fatherly instinct.

I hugged Dr. Gillis as tears of joy streamed down my face. If Derek were here, he'd probably be doing the same. She gave me a copy of my ultrasound picture so that I could show him, and with an extra skip to my step, I headed out of the building.

Tomorrow, I'd call my mom, brother, and Charlotte to inform them of the news. It was only right that Derek would be the first to know besides me.

At six, I was in the kitchen, preparing seafood pasta and a garden salad for dinner. I'd even bought a bottle of Chardonnay to celebrate. I wouldn't be able to drink it, though, but Derek loved that stuff.

Once everything was ready, I went upstairs to take a quick shower, changing into a light blue summer dress. Then, I went to sit at the dining table and waited.

And waited.

An hour passed, but Derek still wasn't home. It was almost eight already, and he said he'd be here at seven. Growing frustrated, I grabbed my cell phone from our bedroom. There were no calls or texts from him. Nothing.

A part of me was angry, but at the same time, I couldn't help but wonder if something had gone wrong. Hating feeling this uneasy, I dialed his number. He picked up right away.

"Claire?"

Why on earth was he whispering?

"Where are you?", I asked in an urgent tone.

"I can't talk right now. I'm in the middle of something important." He spoke so quickly, sounding irritated, it took me a minute to comprehend his words.

"But you said you were coming-,"

The line went dead before I could even finish my sentence.

I threw my phone to the ground and with an aching heart, I went back to the kitchen to put the dinner I'd made into the fridge. Eating was the last thing I felt like doing right now.

The ultrasound picture of Derek Jr. remained on the counter, and suddenly, it hurt to look at him.

I dragged my feet up the stairs to my old room and changed out of my dress, slipping on a silk robe instead. Then, I lay down on the bed and cried myself to sleep.

***

I was stirring awake from a dream when the mattress suddenly dipped beneath me. I thought I was simply imagining it, but then I felt a pair of strong arms wrap around my waist from behind.

Blinking back tears, I turned around and the sight of Derek lying there was just too much. My mind couldn't decide whether I wanted to punch him or kiss him senseless. In the end, I simply buried my face in his chest and cried.

"I'm so sorry, sweetheart," he whispered, holding me tight.

I honestly didn't know what to say to him; I was surprised he was even home.

"There was an issue during the meeting. Turns out the other guys didn't wanna pay their fair share of the investment. It took hours to reach an agreement, so I had to catch a later flight," he explained.

"How long have you been home?"

"Since two."

He brushed his fingers through my hair, and I wiped away my tears with his tshirt.

"Derek?"

"Yeah?"

The moonlight illuminated his handsome face in the dark, and by simply looking at him, I had a strong sense of how much stress he'd been under. His eyes had grown dull and weary- lifeless almost- and the wrinkles on his forehead were starting to deepen.

In just two months, Derek Weston had aged a decade.

I took a deep breath then asked him the one question I'd been wanting to most since we began drifting apart.

"Do you still love me?"

"I've never stopped," he croaked, a deeply wounded expression on his face.

I reached out to stroke the stubble on his jaw, feeling so conflicted and lost.

"But it seems like you've been pushing me away."

"Claire," he sighed heavily, "when I came home and saw you in here, I knew I fucked up. Big time."

"Why didn't you call me? I waited so long for you, but you never showed up." I was crying again. Derek might be lying right beside me, but I felt like I was already losing him.

"When I realized things were gonna take longer than I thought, I planned to call you, but I accidentally left my phone in one of the other conference rooms. And when you called, a receptionist brought it to me while I was in the middle of my meeting. That's why I couldn't talk to you."

"It hurt, you know. How you just hung up on me like that."

"I know, and I'm sorry, baby. The directors were pissing me off, and Christ, I was so fucking exhausted. I just wanted to go home," he said tiredly, rubbing his face.

I laid my head on his shoulder, tangling my legs with his as he let out a ragged breath, nuzzling my hair. My robe had ridden up, and he stroked my bare thighs with his fingers.

"I've missed being with you like this," I murmured, breathing in the familiar scent of his body wash.

"Me too, baby."

"I never get to see you anymore."

"I know. I feel bad making you go to all those doctor appointments by yourself. But I promise, once this contract is settled, I won't miss a single one anymore."

He kissed me on the forehead, and I propped myself up on one elbow, sliding a hand underneath his tshirt. A deep groan escaped his throat as I caressed his firm abs, indulging in the feel of his smooth skin.

"I may be wrong, Derek, but sometimes, I feel like you've stopped wanting me. I know I may not have the sexiest body anymore, but-,"

Before I could even finish spilling my insecurities to him, he climbed on top of me, the hard planes of his muscles feeling so right against the softness of my curves.

"That's enough, Claire." He sounded angry, and oh my god, it turned me on. Both of my hands were pinned to the mattress, and I stared up into his dark, hungry eyes.

"Derek," I gasped as he rolled his hips into mine.

"You feel that? Only you make me this hard, baby. God, I always want you. Every fucking second of the day."

He ground his hips against me once more, his throbbing erection making me wet with arousal, and as I moaned, his lips captured mine in a dizzying kiss.

"The fact that your beautiful body is carrying my child....You have no idea how sexy that is," he growled, scrambling to untie my robe with his hands. Once it was off, he threw it to the ground then began kissing down my throat.

I felt him humming against my skin as his hands stroked my breasts, which had grown due to pregnancy, and a whimper escaped my throat when his lips enclosed over my nipple, suckling tenderly.

"Oh, god!", I cried, digging my fingers into his hair as he bit into the tender flesh. Then in the blink of an eye, his tongue darted out to lick away the pain.

His mouth continued to coast down the rest of my body, and when he was kneeling in between my legs, I began to grow slightly panicked.

"T-the baby," I panted.

"I know. I'll be careful." He placed a loving kiss on my belly, and my heart swelled. Then, his hands began to slide my panties off, nudging my thighs apart.

The moment his mouth was on me, I moaned out in pleasure, writhing against the sheets as I clawed at his broad shoulders. He lapped, sucked, and plunged his tongue deep into my sensitive bundle of nerves, and I grinded against his face, desperate for more contact.

"You taste so fucking good."

His words were my undoing, and when I climaxed, he swallowed every single drop of me, licking his lips afterwards.

He stood up to take off his tshirt and boxers then crawled back on top of me, cradling my head in his hands. He kissed me slowly and sweetly as his hard length teased my entrance. I needed him inside me so badly, it hurt. It'd been so long....

"I love you," he groaned into my mouth before entering me with one swift thrust.

I moaned in utter ecstasy, digging my nails into his firm ass. He filled me deliciously, every inch of him, and I bucked my hips, aware of his movements becoming more urgent.

"I needed this. Needed you," he rasped.

My breathing grew labored, and the sheets were damp with our sweat as Derek continued to pound into me. His tongue massaged my own, exploring every inch of my mouth, and I ran my fingers through his damp hair.

Feeling my own orgasm building, I urged him to increase the pace, and he threw my leg over his shoulder, deepening his thrusts.

My toes began to clench, and above me, Derek's face was contorted in pure pleasure as his swollen lips parted. It was the most beautiful sight I'd ever seen.

He thrust into me one final time, this one the slowest, deepest one yet, and I turned my head to the side, moaning wildly.

"Look at me, baby," he crooned, tilting my chin to meet his mesmerizing blue eyes.

"God, I've missed you," I whispered, stroking his face.

With one hand, he reached down to rub his thumb over the area where we were connected, and then I came violently, crying out his name as I heard him groan loudly, spilling the contents of his release into me.

Utterly sated, he lay still, his length still buried inside of me as we both panted for breath. Feeling overwhelmed with a sudden rush of emotions, I began to cry silently.

"Shit, Claire. Did I hurt you?", Derek asked in a panicked tone, slowly sliding out of me.

"No," I whimpered, shaking my head.

"What is it then?" He cupped my cheek, his eyes full of worry.

"I-I love being pregnant, but sometimes I hate it. I'm horny all the time, and you're always at work or out of the state..."

"Claire...," he breathed, resting his forehead against mine. He looked absolutely devastated. "If you wanted me, why didn't you tell me?"

"Your rest is more important. You come home looking so tired every night."

A heavy sigh escaped his lips, and he shifted to lay down beside me, holding me in his arms.

"Claire, from now on, if you ever want me, you just come to me. Ok? It's my job as your lover and husband to satisfy your needs. And believe me, baby, I love it more than anything."

"Even your job?"

A frown formed on his face.

"You're what's most important to me, not my job."

"It doesn't seem like it these days," I muttered.

He exhaled sharply, and I couldn't help but feel like there was something more that he was not telling me. But for now, I just wanted us to get some sleep. God knows how much he needed it.

"I saw the picture you left on the counter."

"You did?"

"Yup." His eyes twinkled with pride, and I draped an arm over his stomach, hugging him tight.

"We're having a boy!"

"We're having a boy," he repeated, smiling brilliantly as he caressed my swollen belly with his fingertips.

Our eyes began glistening with tears of joy, and in that moment, everything felt just like how it used to be.

 


	41. Suspicions

 

"Could you hand me some more of the fried rice?"

"Of course," Derek replied, grinning.

The two of us were sitting cross-legged on the living room floor, eating Chinese takeout for dinner after a busy day at work. Thankfully, tomorrow was the weekend.

The months had flown by and already, it was September. Last Friday, Charlotte had thrown me the biggest surprise baby shower at her place. She'd ordered a three-tiered cake and splurged on the favors and decorations.

You'd think I was the duchess of Cambridge or something.

In just a couple of weeks, Derek and I would welcome our child to the world. Neither of us could contain our excitement. He'd been trying his best to go to as many doctor's appointments as possible, and on some nights, he'd even read aloud to Derek Jr. so that he could grow to be "smart like his mama."

During his free time, which was very rare, Derek browsed through parenting guidebooks, and back in August, he'd even started designing the baby nursery. We easily could've hired someone to do it for us, but it just wouldn't feel right.

So far, we'd decided on an animal theme and had the walls painted light green with jungle canvases as decor.  Now, all we needed was the furniture.

"You sure you can still go to work?", Derek asked, taking a bite of his egg roll. His eyes were trained on my huge belly.

"Yup. At this rate, I'm probably gonna work until my delivery date. He's a good boy and hasn't caused me any trouble." I smiled.

"That's good to hear."

"Definitely. Wanna see what our fortune cookies say?"

"Sure."

Derek dug in the bag and pulled out two, handing one to me. He stretched out his long legs and began to open the wrapper. It'd been a while since we were able to just relax like this. Back in July, my hours at the office had become permanently extended, and Paul Williams- my boss- said that he was paving the way for a future promotion.

Of course, it'd have to be upon my return from maternity leave. I wanted to care for Derek Jr. myself during his first eighteen months, and then we could send him to a daycare after that.

"Hmm, this is interesting," Derek remarked as he stared at the white slip of paper in his hand. "Here, read it."

I swallowed my food then looked at his fortune.

"In your lifetime, you will have loved and lost."

"That doesn't sound very exciting, does it?" He frowned slightly.

"No. But who even believes these things? If anything, your fortune should've been meant for me."

Derek was silent, but he knew I was referring to how I'd lost my dad and Nick. Curious as to what my own fortune said, I opened my wrapper then cracked the cookie in half, pulling out the strip of paper.

"Life is too short to be anything but happy," I read out loud.

He made a deflated sound.

"Seriously? That wasn't even a fortune. God knows how many times I've heard that line before." I said.

"Right? This company obviously needs new quotes."

I nodded my head in agreement then eyed the untouched cheese wonton on Derek's plate. My mouth was practically drooling, and I'd already had four.

"Are you gonna eat that wonton?"

"Let me guess, you want it?"

"Yes, please."

He smiled then picked the wonton up with his chopsticks, holding it to my mouth, and I opened wide, moaning in delight as the crispy, creamy goodness hit my tongue.

"You sure love these."

"You bet."

Soon, we were both finished with dinner, and after throwing everything away, we watched a movie together on the couch with a blanket wrapped around us.

Halfway through, our baby decided to make his presence known and began kicking inside my stomach. Beaming with excitement, I tugged on Derek's arm to get his attention.

"What's wrong?", he asked.

"The baby's moving! Wanna feel it?"

"Yes!"

His eyes lit up in amusement, and he slipped a hand underneath my tank top. Unfortunately, that was when the baby decided to stop kicking.

"I don't feel anything." He knitted his brows in confusion.

"Maybe I should lie down on my back."

"Oh, yeah, I read something about that. It should make the baby kick."

Derek scooted towards the end of the couch, and I lay down with my head resting on the pillow. He lifted up my top and put his ear on my belly.

"Hey little guy, Daddy knows you're in there."

I couldn't help but laugh. Derek was honestly just so adorable. To my surprise, he began to blow a raspberry on my stomach, and I wriggled on the couch, giggling.

"That tickles!"

He grinned at me and suddenly, I felt a kick in my belly. Bolting upright, my eyes widened in fascination at the sight of Derek Jr.'s foot pushing the fabric of my tank top up.

"Did you see that?", I asked.

"Yup. He's probably getting restless in there."

"I can't wait til the day he's born."

"Me, too."

Derek hovered over my body, pressing a kiss to my forehead.

"I love you, sweetheart," he murmured.

"I love you, too."

For the remainder of the night, we finished our movie while playing with the baby, and then I fell asleep in his arms on the couch.

***

Just when I thought Derek was done with making random trips to unknown places, I came home Sunday after having brunch with Charlotte to find an empty space in the garage where his car was normally parked.

It'd been going on for the past several months now. Once every couple of weeks, he'd leave the house without telling me, and whenever I asked him where he'd gone, I always got the same responses. Either he had to "pick up things for the baby nursery" or "meet up with business partners".

But the weird thing was, he'd often come home empty-handed after saying that he had to go "pick up things".

Sometime this week, I planned to get to the bottom of this. I had a right to know whatever was going on in his life. If he was having issues with his job, we could work through them together, but I highly doubted that was the case, though.

...What if he was secretly seeing someone?

As soon as the thought popped into my head, I mentally scolded myself. Derek wasn't a cheater, and we'd been through too much for him to just toss our marriage to the side.

However, there _was_ a woman I recently met at my in-law's annual charity golf event who seemed to take an extreme interest in Derek. Her name was Tanya, and the way she'd flirted with him and touched his arm made me think of Ashley. In fact, they both even had the same dirty-blonde hair.

Then the worst possible conclusion came to mind- Derek was still seeing his ex after all these months.

They might not work in the same building anymore, but that couldn't prevent them from getting together. I knew Ashley, and she wasn't one to give up easily. Her ultimate goal in life was to be with my husband, and god knows what she'd do to make that happen. Just thinking about her made my blood boil with rage.

I only prayed that Derek hadn't seen her since the day he'd fired her. But even if he did, he wouldn't succumb to her acts. I knew from the bottom of my heart that he was a faithful man.

The sooner I could clear all of these suspicions out of my head, the better.

On Friday morning, I sat in my office at work, analyzing Wells Fargo's monthly financial reports when my cell phone rang. I debated answering it since I was busy, but as soon as I saw Derek's name, I picked up.

"Hello?"

"Hey, sweetheart. Do you have any plans for lunch?", he asked in a leisurely tone.

"Not really. I was just planning on maybe grabbing a sandwich from the deli next door."

"Well, then you should come eat with me."

"Why?"

He laughed softly.

"A guy can't have lunch with his wife on the weekdays?"

I scrunched my nose.

"No. It's just that I've never had lunch at your office before."

"True. But hey, there's a first for everything. I'm having some Italian food delivered here at noon. Sound ok?"

"Italian? God, now you have me drooling."

He laughed and then after saying a few more words, we both hung up.

I worked for a couple more hours, writing up recommendations for the company's stock based on current trends and updating spreadsheet data. It was tedious, but I was used to it.

When noon came, I grabbed my coat and purse then drove the short distance to Derek's building since I didn't feel like walking in my heels.

After parking my car, I took the elevator up to his floor and just like the last time I was here, his secretary directed me to his office. Only this time, there was no Ashley in there with him.

"You made it." He stood up from his chair, striding towards me.

"Yup." I smiled and let out a tiny squeal when I felt his arms lock around me in a tight embrace, momentarily lifting me off the ground.

"Dang, you're getting heavy now."

"Blame your son." I playfully punched his shoulder, and he smirked.

We went to sit down at his desk, and I made myself comfortable, slipping off my heels and coat. There was a plate of seafood linguini for me and lasagna for him.

"How's your day going?", he asked.

"Good. Yours?"

"Fine. It got better, though, as soon as I saw your face."

"I could say the same about you."

He smiled, and I couldn't help but admire how completely edible he looked in his gray dress shirt. The sleeves were rolled up, revealing his tan, sinewy forearms, and his tie was loosened at the collar. I suddenly had the urge to jump him but decided against it. We could reserve that stuff for later tonight, not here in a professional work setting.

Besides, my giant belly would knock him unconscious.

I was about to ask him if he had any upcoming business trips when his phone began to ring. He grabbed it out of his pocket, and a strange look crossed his face as he glanced at the screen.

"Excuse me, sweetheart," he said, getting up. I shrugged then continued eating my pasta.

He went to stand at the opposite end of his office next to the windows, and the first thing I heard him say was, "Hey, are you alright?"

The rest of the conversation was inaudible because he'd lowered his voice. I hated eavesdropping, but something in my gut was telling me that Derek was involved in some kind of trouble. I made a mental note to talk to him about it tonight.

"I'll go see you after work," he spoke into the phone before hanging up.

"Is something wrong?", I asked.

"Everything's fine, babe." His expression was unreadable.

He could go wherever he needed to after work. But tonight, I was expecting answers.

When we finished eating, I went back to my office, feeling more unsettled than ever. It dawned on me that Derek might not even be truthful if I asked him what he'd been up to these past months.

There was only one way to find out.

I was going to sit in my car after work and wait for him to leave his building.

Then I'd follow him.

As his wife, I'd been nothing but honest with him, but if he wasn't going to share anything with me, I had no other choice. Besides, this feeling of not knowing was eating me alive.

At six, I was parked across the street from Derek's building, and about an hour later, I finally saw him step outside.

As soon as his Range Rover emerged from the parking ramp, I began to follow it, making sure there was always at least one car in between us, so he wouldn't see me.

We entered the freeway, and I weaved through traffic until I was able to spot his car again. Fifteen minutes later, we took the exit for Del Mar, entering a nice, upscale neighborhood by the beach.

_Who_ _could_ _he_ _possibly_ _be visiting?_

At the end of the street, he finally stopped and parked in the driveway of the house on the left. It was medium-sized but had really nice landscaping.

He got out, briefly glancing over his shoulder, then strode up to the front door. Meanwhile, I was parked on the other side of the road across from the neighbor's house. That way, I'd be able to get a clear view of him without worrying about being caught.

I watched him ring the doorbell, and immediately, my palms grew sweaty with anticipation as the door slowly opened...

Revealing none other than Ashley Lawrence.

A shocked gasp escaped my lungs, and instantly, it became hard to breathe. I was gripping the steering wheel so tightly that my knuckles were starting to turn white.

Just when I thought my heart couldn't possibly bleed anymore than it already was, Derek wrapped his arms around her, and they _hugged._

"I should've known...," I muttered in utter disgust as I took one last look at the man who'd betrayed me.

Betrayed our son.

I wanted to cry, shout, and punch the steering wheel, but my body just felt so...numb. All I knew was that I needed to drive home immediately and pack my things to leave.

This time, however, I wasn't coming back.


	42. Before I Fall

**Derek's POV**

I stood on the front porch, rocking back and forth on my heels as I waited for Ashley to open the door. The moment she did, my eyes lifted to meet hers, and what I saw nearly took my breath away.

For months, I knew she'd been suffering, but I definitely wasn't expecting _this._

The woman standing in front of me wasn't the Ashley I'd grown up. Instead, she'd been replaced by someone twice her age. Her once glowing face was now a sickly pale color, and the hollowness of her cheeks didn't go unnoticed either.

"Derek," she greeted with a hoarse voice, fighting back tears.

I reached out to her and pulled her into a hug, stricken by how much weight she'd lost. Her arms clung to me as if her life depended on it, and I let myself be the friend she needed in that moment.

"I'm so sorry, Ash," I murmured, resting my chin on her head.

Just this morning, her mother had passed away after suffering from terminal brain cancer for years. Sarah Lawrence was a wonderful woman who'd contributed more to my childhood than my own mom ever had, and her loss deeply affected me.

I hadn't seen or heard from Ashley since the day I'd fired her, but today, I knew I needed to be there for her. Despite all the things she'd done, she didn't deserve to lose her mother like this.

The past couple of months, I'd gone to visit Sarah in the hospital whenever I could, but even then, I could tell that her life was hanging by a thread.

In mid-July, she was able to go home until three weeks ago when her symptoms came back, more severe than ever. The last days of her life had been spent at a hospital, and knowing that completely devastated me.

"D-do you wanna come inside?", Ashley asked.

"Do you want me to?"

"Yes," she replied, a pleading look in her eyes.

"Alright. But only for a bit." I sighed, glancing at my watch.

"That's fine. My dad's supposed to be here in an hour or so, too. He doesn't want me to have to spend the night alone."

I nodded, and she stepped aside to let me in. For the next half hour, we sat on the couch drinking wine while making small talk. I asked her about her new job at Ameriprise Financial, and she said it was good.

When it was time for me to leave, I stood up only to see tears pouring down her face again. I cupped her cheek with my hand, feeling her  tremble against my touch.

"Are you gonna be ok?", I asked gently.

"Y-you're such a good man, Derek. Claire is so unbelievably lucky to have you," she choked through her sobs.

I stiffened and dropped my hand, releasing a pent-up breath at the mention of my wife's name. I had to leave now before she got worried about where I was.

And if Ashley had thought that me coming here changed anything between us, then she was wrong. I could never forgive her for all the pain she'd caused Claire.

"Now is not the time for this, Ashley."

"I'm sorry." She directed her gaze to the floor.

I sighed, giving her shoulder a squeeze.

"I have to go. Call me if you need anything. And tell your dad I'm sorry about his loss."

She nodded, and I pressed a brief kiss to her forehead before walking out the front door.

Setting all thoughts of Ashley and her mother's death aside, I drove home, eager to spend the rest of the night with my wife. When we were together, she made me forget about all my other problems. In just a few weeks, I would no longer have her all to myself, but nonetheless, I was thrilled to become a father. 

The past couple of months, I had created a list of potential names for our son. In the end, though, I'd decided that only one held special meaning to Claire. She probably already had ideas of her own, but if she asked for my opinion, I'd tell her.

I loved my wife with all my heart, but when I found out that she was carrying our baby, it made me love her even more. She'd been through hell and back during the early stages of her pregnancy, throwing up at least three times a week and experiencing the craziest mood swings.

And yet, she always conquered it all with a smile on her face.

Lately though, I hadn't seen that smile often. I didn't know if it was because of stress from work or worrying about her pregnancy, but she seemed...off.

I only hoped that she would tell me if anything was wrong.

Because I felt like doing something sweet for Claire- and reminding her how much I loved her- I stopped by the local florist on the way home and bought a bouquet of red roses.

Although we'd been married for over a year already, I'd never given her flowers before. Hopefully, this would put a smile on her beautiful face.

The first thing I noticed when I got home was the absence of her car. I checked my watch and saw that it was past eight. Her boss couldn't have possibly made her stay after that late. To be sure, I called her office, but the phone went to voicemail. Then, I tried her cell number and also failed to reach her.

I didn't recall her telling me that she was going out tonight, but she may have had last minute plans. Feeling slightly worried, I searched through my phone for Charlotte's number and dialed it.

"Derek?"

"Hey, Charlotte. Listen, I just got home from work, but Claire's not here. Is she with you by any chance?", I asked, pacing the driveway.

"No."

"Where is she then?" I was growing more anxious by the second.

"You're her husband. Shouldn't you know?" Her tone was clipped.

"Wait, what? Did I do something wrong?"

"Never mind. And Claire is at a friend's house right now. They're hanging out."

"Which friend?"

"It's one of her co-workers. You don't know her. I have to go now."

I stared dumbfounded at my phone after she hung up.

What got _her_ panties in a twist?

Charlotte was never this rude to me before...unless she was angry. And judging by the tone of her voice, it sure seemed like it.

...But why?

Feeling utterly confused, I went inside the house and set the roses in a vase, leaving it on the dining table. Claire always informed me of her whereabouts, and it wasn't like her to just vanish like this.

On the other hand, she was an adult and had the right to do whatever she wished. I didn't want to act like a nagging parent, but God knows I worried too much.

To calm my nerves, I headed upstairs to take a warm shower and changed into a pair of boxers. I hoped Claire was enjoying herself wherever she was, but when ten o'clock neared, I started to panic.

With shaking fingers, I dialed her number again, praying she'd answer.

The call went to voicemail, and I cursed under my breath before leaving her a message.

"God damn it, Claire, where are you?", I muttered out loud, raking a hand through my hair in utter frustration as I paced the living room floor.

Minutes felt like hours, and I tried to make time pass by turning on the TV. My patience was wearing thin, and when midnight came, I completely lost it. Claire probably decided to spend the night at her friend's, but the fact that she hadn't even bothered to let me know made me livid with anger.

I stormed upstairs to our bedroom, and the first thing I noticed was that the closet lights were still on. She sure must've been in a haste to leave.

I went to go turn them off, but I couldn't help but feel like something was missing from our closet. My eyes darted between her side and mine, and that's when I saw the striking difference.

The space where her suitcase usually lay was now empty.

My face instantly grew pale as I gripped the door handle, feeling all the air escape my lungs. Everything was finally registering in my head, and the realization I came to was like a punch to the stomach.

Claire had left me. Again. But this time, I had no fucking idea why.

**Claire's POV**

"You're all set to go. Room 226 is on the left up the elevator."

"Thank you." I smiled at the concierge, a bubbly young woman in her mid-twenties.

"You're welcome. Oh, and may I ask if you're expecting a boy or girl?"

"A boy."

"Aww, how cute. Is his dad staying here, too? We can add him to your reservation when he comes."

I drew a sharp breath.

"No, he isn't...We're not on speaking terms right now," I said solemnly.

"Oh, I didn't mean to intrude."

"It's fine."

"Well, have a wonderful stay." She smiled, and I thanked her, dragging myself over to the elevator with my suitcase rolling behind me. 

I'd chosen to stay at the beach-side Courtyard Marriott because it wasn't too expensive and had a great view of Sunset Cliffs. I needed time to clear my head before I could deal with Derek. The last thing I wanted was to see his cheating, lying face right now.

Besides, he wouldn't miss me, not when he had Ashley to warm his bed at night.

Prior to leaving my house, I had called Charlotte to inform her of my situation. Since I knew Derek was bound to call her once he discovered that I'd run away, I told her to lie and tell him that I was at a friend's house. If he continued to call, she could just ignore him.

After all the loving memories we'd shared, this was what it came down to.

I'd given Derek my heart, my soul...everything. Sadly, he never loved me the way I loved him.

Both Ashley and I had fought for his love, but in the end, she'd won. I'd officially lost Derek, and no matter how hard I tried to tell myself to move on, I couldn't.

Over the months, he'd become a part of me, and now, imagining the rest of my life without him seemed utterly impossible.

How could I live without the other half of my heart?

But it had to be this way. I needed to save myself from even more lies and heartache. God knows I was already hurting like hell inside.

I had to give credit to Derek, though. He was the greatest fucking actor I'd ever met. In fact, that's why our marriage had actually lasted all this time instead of breaking apart. I fell in love with him and got pregnant, just like I'd always wished.

But before our son could even come into this life, he destroyed everything we ever had.

As soon as I reached my hotel room, I left my suitcase in the closet then collapsed onto the bed, burying my face in the large pillow. Just seconds later, I'd managed to dampen it with my tears.

I felt so vulnerable and weak, but despite everything that had happened tonight, I longed to feel Derek's strong arms around me. The bed was too massive and empty without him, and my body shook as I cried even harder. 

I hated that I could even think about being with him after all the pain he'd caused me. I hated that I needed him this much.

But I loved him and convincing myself that I couldn't anymore was honestly going to kill me.

After all, he was never mine to love in the first place.

***

The following morning, I'd woken to a pounding headache and had to take some Advil to relieve the pain. After changing into a long maxi dress, I'd gone down to the lobby to buy breakfast at a small café.

Since it was a warm, beautiful day, I decided to eat outside in the courtyard. Flowers bloomed all around me, and the trees swayed in the gentle breeze, creating a calming effect.

Once I finished my croissant, I took the trail down to Sunset Cliffs. Before I started working, I always used to run here in the early mornings and watch the sun rise. Every time, the beauty of it took my breath away.

Slipping off my sandals, I let my feet sink into the soft sand. The sound of the seagulls and crashing waves rang in my ears, and I closed my eyes as the bright sun shone on my skin. All other thoughts were forgotten for the moment.

"Mommy! I found a seashell!"

I silently laughed to myself and opened my eyes to see a little toddler boy scrambling on the ground, his hands covered in sand. Both his parents gazed down at him with pure love and pride, and the sight left a tear trickling down my cheek.

I wanted that for my son more than anything. How things would turn out between me and his father, I didn't know. But what I did know was that I was willing to sacrifice everything in order for him to grow up in a proper family.

The little boy's father turned away from him momentarily to look at something behind me, and I watched as his mouth curved into a huge grin.

"Long time no see, man!", he said.

"Corbin? Damn, look at you!"

My body immediately froze at the familiar male voice, and slowly, I turned around to face the man I'd run away from.

The image of him standing at his ex's doorstep just last night was fresh in my mind, making my fists clench with fury. The moment his eyes landed on mine, I began to storm away in the opposite direction, praying that the other guy- Corbin- would distract him.

"Claire!", he called, rushing after me.

I grabbed the bottom of my dress and quickened my pace, running as fast as my huge belly would allow. Suddenly, the sand sank beneath my left foot, and I felt myself begin to topple over.

But Derek caught me in his arms before I could fall. Just like he always did.

"Shit, Claire, be careful!"

"Let me go!"

At my order, he tightened his hold on me, and I thrashed around in his arms, struggling to free myself. Thankfully, we were at the quieter, vacant area of the beach so no one could see us.

"Why the hell did you leave me?", he demanded through gritted teeth.

"If you don't release me, I'm going to scream."

His eyes widened in shock, and he dropped his arms to his sides, taking a step backward.

"What's gotten into you? Do you have any idea how worried I've been? I drove everywhere looking for you last night. I even called your mother to see if you'd flown home."

"Quit acting so clueless," I said bitterly, turning away from him to stare at the water as I fought back tears.

"What's going on? Talk to me, baby," he pleaded.

"Where did you go after work?", I asked.

"I had a meeting with a client."

"Liar!", I snarled, spinning to face him. He blinked in surprise then narrowed his eyes at me.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"You weren't at a meeting, Derek. You went to Ashley's house!"

I watched the muscles in his jaw tick as he closed the distance between us, bringing his face down to mine.

"You fucking stalked me?"

My blood began to boil, and out of absolute outrage, I clenched my fist, throwing a punch at his cheek. He flinched but kept his ground.

"How dare you!", I cried as tears poured down my face.

"Claire-,"

"You left me with no choice, Derek. All those excuses you made up about having to go to meetings and shit, I actually believed them in the beginning. But I'm not stupid like you think I am. I _knew_ you were hiding something from me."

He released a sharp breath and began shaking his head.

"I trusted you, Derek. I told you _everything_. But you lied to me. You've been lying to me the past four months."

"I didn't mean for this to happen, Claire," he muttered under his breath.

"How long have you been fucking Ashley behind my back?"

He drew a sharp breath and gazed down at me, his cheeks flushed with anger.

"Is that honestly what you think of me?"

"What other reason would you have for going to her house if not to fuck her?", I spat.

"Damn it, Claire, the only woman I've fucked since we got married was you!", he roared, kicking over a rock with his foot before storming away from me.

And by the hard look in his eyes, I knew he'd told the truth.

"Derek, wait!", I called, grabbing the bottom of my dress as I scrambled after him.

To my dismay, he kept on walking, ignoring my pleas to stop. He had every right to be furious with me right now, but I still wanted to know what was going on with him and Ashley yesterday.

"Look, I'm sorry, ok? I was wrong about you. Just please don't leave me."

 He paused then spun around to face me, his expression cold as ice.

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm not like you, Claire. I don't just get up and _leave_ after everything we've been through. We're about to have a baby for Christ's sake, and you ran off with him. He's my son, too. Don't you ever forget that," he seethed.

I felt myself beginning to crumble beneath his harsh glare, gradually losing any strength I had left.

"I know I shouldn't have left without talking to you. But God, seeing you with her killed me. I was so angry and hurt. I thought I'd lost you, Derek." My voice broke as tears trickled down my face.

He exhaled slowly, his features softening, and then he pulled me into his arms, hugging me tight.

"You'll never lose me, Claire," he vowed, pressing a kiss to my forehead. "Just promise me you'll stop running away."

"You always manage to find me, though," I said quietly, glancing up at his face.

"Claire..." His tone was serious.

"I'll stop running. I promise. But I'm curious- how'd you know I was staying here?"

"I went on our online banking account this morning and saw the hotel reservation you'd booked."

"Oh..."

He rested his chin on the top of my head, still holding me in his arms as we listened to the sound of the waves crashing against the cliffs.

Everything felt so right when he was by my side. 

"Claire?"

"Yes?"

"I should probably tell you everything about what went on the past few months."

"Go ahead. I'm listening."

He sighed, looking lost in thought as he rubbed his jaw then proceeded to talk.

"Ashley's mother, Sarah, was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer a couple of years ago. She's had chemotherapy and other treatment, but back in May, more cancer cells invaded her body and her symptoms worsened."

It took me a moment to process the information, and when I did, I felt nothing but pain and sympathy for Ashley's family.

"You know all those times I left the house without telling you? I was at the hospital with Sarah. She was like a mother to me growing up," he explained, a desolate look in his eyes.

"Oh, Derek, I'm so sorry. Why didn't you tell me this sooner?"

"I was afraid you wouldn't understand. I know you hate Ashley, and if I told you I was spending time with her mother in the hospital, you'd be angry."

"Was Ashley ever there with you?", I asked.

"No. I always made sure she wasn't there when I went."

"What happened yesterday?"

Derek swallowed the lump in his throat.

"Sarah passed away. That's why I went to visit Ashley."

And now, after all those months, I finally knew. A wave of relief passed over me as my worries about Derek's infidelity ceased to exist anymore.

"God, that's terrible. You should've just told me everything yesterday when we were having lunch."

Derek sighed heavily, reaching out to cup my cheek with his hand, and I leaned into his touch.

"You know how much I love you, right? I only want you to be happy. Between your work and pregnancy, I knew throwing in the issue with Ashley's mother would create unnecessary worrying for you."

"If you loved me, you wouldn't keep secrets from me. Every time you leave without saying a word and lie about where you're going, of course I'm gonna suspect you're having an affair or something."

"I'm sorry, baby. I never should've kept this from you. But now you know."

"It's ok. It's all over now." I stood up on my tippy toes and gently brushed my lips against his, feeling his body relax against mine.

He grabbed my face and deepened our kiss, releasing all the emotions of today's events into this one moment. When we broke apart for air, I rested my head on his chest as he gently caressed my swollen belly.

"I never thought I'd be capable of loving someone this much... _needing_ someone this much. But God, I don't know how I could ever live without you," I murmured, turning my head to look up into his intensely blue eyes.

"You'll never find out." He gave me his signature heart-throbbing smile, and I swore, I could've died a happy woman in his arms.

 


	43. Blessing

 

I woke up one October morning to the bright sunlight peeking through the curtains, and I stretched out my arms as I inhaled the cool dawn air. Next to me, Derek lay fast asleep, the blanket falling just above his waist.

Even though we'd been married for nearly two years already, the sight of his bare torso never ceased to make my stomach flutter. Recently, he'd gone on a business trip in Miami, which left his skin the perfect shade of tan.

His abs were more sculpted than ever- if that was even possible- and I suddenly had a dying urge to run my tongue over them.

_Ok, Claire, now you're just being creepy._

In the end, I just settled for watching him sleep, snuggling closer to his side as I lay my head on his chest. Tilting my neck upwards, I peered at the face I loved most. He was beautiful beyond words, but it was the gradual revelation of his true character that captivated my heart as time went by.

Derek was a man of many parts- dominating businessman, devoted husband, and soon, loving father. Yes, there was no doubt he'd love our son. That's just who he was. When Derek loved someone, it was for life and with his entire being.

The truth was, I wished there could be a more distinct line between his roles as husband and CEO. His job was extremely demanding- I understood that- but whenever we were both home, I wanted nothing more than to just spend time with him.

Unfortunately, he'd often have work to do. So on weekends, I mostly hung out with Charlotte while he worked in his home office.

Maybe one day, he'd realize that life wasn't all about making big bucks. But he was passionate about what he did, too, so there was no stopping him. I myself loved my job at Wells Fargo, and the thought of getting promoted in the future didn't hurt either.

As soon as Derek Jr. was born, though, my time would be fully dedicated to him. Besides, my boss had already secured my position for when I would return from maternity leave. He'd said that I was a valuable asset to the company he couldn't bear to let go.

I felt Derek shift slightly beneath me, and his strong arm wrapped around my waist as his eyes slowly opened, gazing down boldly into mine.

"Morning, beautiful," he said with a wide grin. 

"Morning, sexy." He chuckled, and I sighed as his smooth hand ran up and down my bare back.

"Our poor son is probably cringing right now," he remarked. I laughed.

"Don't worry, we'll have a special morning nickname for him, too."

If all went well, I'd be giving birth to Derek Jr. within the next two weeks. Words couldn't describe how elated I was. Derek and I had finished the last of our shopping for baby clothes, and the nursery was completely furnished. It looked like something straight out of a magazine.

"I should probably go make breakfast now. We have to be at your parents' at eleven," I spoke, about to get up when Derek pulled me back into his body.

"Relax, babe. It's only eight. I wanna lie with you longer."

"No sex though. God knows we won't get out of bed for hours."

"So what? My parents can wait," he rasped, brushing his fingers across my collarbone.

"But it's your dad's 60th birthday," I protested.

"I know, and a year from now, he'll turn 61."

Next thing I knew, his mouth was on my neck, and any attempt I had to make a smart comment was lost as I submitted to the pleasure that only he could give me.

***

The following weekend, Derek and I attended a charity gala downtown hosted by his company. Since Halloween was right around the corner, he'd decided to have it be a masquerade. Guests could either wear their most elegant or gruesome face masks.

We both opted to wear elegant masks. Mine was a jeweled Venetian-inspired one with silver and aqua hues that covered the top half of my face. Since my dress was a light aqua color, it matched perfectly.

Derek always looked hot in a black suit, but Derek wearing a mask with his suit set my body on fire. The moment he put it on when we stepped out of his car, I was left completely breathless as my heart raced in my chest.

His intricate silver and black mask was 'Phantom of the Opera' styled and covered the left half of his face. It emphasized his already sharp features and strong jawline, making him look dark, mysterious, and haunting in the sexiest way. No doubt he'd become every woman's fantasy once they laid eyes on him.

"Jesus, Claire, you look like you want to maul me or something," Derek commented, his eyes gleaming in amusement.

"You have no idea," I said, biting my bottom lip.

He laughed, shaking his head then pulled me close to his side as we began walking into the ballroom.

"For someone that's nine months pregnant, you look more stunning than all of the women here. Those damn guys won't stop staring at you." Derek nodded his head towards the group of young businessmen that had followed us from the valet area.

"That's because they probably haven't seen my huge belly yet," I said with a playful smile.

"I hope they do. Then they'll know that you're stuck with me for life." Derek smirked.

"Poor me."

"Yup. Poor you." He gave my ass a squeeze, and I let out a yelp, swatting his hand away.

"Derek! Someone could have seen that!", I scolded.

"Let them see." He grinned devilishly.

"How on earth did I even fall in love with you...," I muttered under my breath, hearing his quiet laugh.

When we arrived at our table, the ladies rushed to ask about our baby. I'd met them at previous events, and we'd gone out for lunch a few times. Jessica Harrington was the one I was closest to since her husband and mine were best friends. 

After eating, the men went outside to the courtyard to discuss business while us ladies stayed behind to listen to the music. So far, I'd mostly seen elegant masks, but there were a couple extremely horrifying ones.

A woman came into the restroom when I was washing my hands earlier wearing a gruesome, bloody mask, and yes, I did scream. Luckily, we were the only ones in there, and I ended up laughing afterwards.

Michael Jackson's _Thriller_ started playing over the speakers, and everyone at my table got up to go dance. My feet itched to join them, but I was way too pregnant to move a muscle. I'd just look like a bobbing watermelon on the dance floor.

Derek was coming back inside just as I felt a contraction, and immediately, my hands darted to my stomach, clutching it tightly. The sensation lasted about forty seconds, but it wasn't too painful. Just slightly discomforting.

I was hunched over in my seat, and in a flash, Derek was standing beside me, his firm hand on my shoulder.

"Are you alright, sweetheart?", he asked in a concerned tone.

"I'm fine. Just experienced a contraction. I've had a few of them the past two days, too," I reassured. His eyes immediately lit up.

"The baby's almost coming, isn't it?"

"I'm pretty sure. Maybe in the next couple of days." I smiled.

"I can't wait." He beamed, leaning down to press a kiss to my forehead.

"Me too."

However, as the night progressed, my contractions returned, each one more painful than the previous. It reached the point where I couldn't even sit and needed to lie down. So, Derek took me home and by the time I made it to the couch, I was panting for breath.

"Sweetheart?"

"What?", I snapped without meaning to.

"Does the couch feel damp to you?"

"Huh?"

I sat up, looking at where Derek was sitting by my feet and sure enough, it was wet.

That could only mean one thing...

My eyes shot to the area between my legs as I lifted up my dress and saw a huge gush of fluids spilling out.

"Oh my god, Derek."

"What is it, baby?"

"My water broke!", I exclaimed. His eyes instantly widened.

"Shit!"

He leapt off the couch and ran to grab his car keys and the bag we'd already packed that had the necessary materials for the hospital.

Then he was back at my side, helping me up and out to the car. On the way to UCSD Medical Center, my contractions intensified, and with each wail and painful cry, Derek slammed harder on the gas.

"You're gonna be ok, babe. I'm right here. We're almost there," he spoke in a nervous, breathless tone, giving my knee a squeeze. If anything, he was trying to calm himself down with his words.

The maternity unit was already informed of our arrival because Derek had called them before we left, so the minute we made it into the parking lot, they rushed to take over control of everything.

"Looks like you're going into labor, Mrs. Weston," the nurse said excitedly as she wheeled me inside on the stretcher.

I managed to give her a weak smile, and then my limbs went numb as I writhed in pain.

"I love you, Claire!", I heard Derek call before my eyes began to flutter shut.

This was it. After all these months, I was finally going into active labor...wearing an evening gown.

The hours that followed were a blur, but all I knew was that Derek never left my side. He still wore his suit from when we'd first arrived at the hospital, but he'd taken off the jacket and tie. I told him to go home and change into more comfortable clothes in case we had to stay for a long time, but he refused.

My contractions were as strong as ever, and the pain radiated down to my legs. Derek looked torn seeing me like this, however, the doctor continued to reassure us that my cervix was simply dilating.

"Would you like an epidural to relieve the pain? That option is always available," she offered.

"Yes! Anything that will make her feel better," Derek responded quickly.

"No," I croaked, my voice weak. He shot me a glare.

"No? Why not?"

I reached my hand out to him, and he held it tightly, caressing my knuckles with his thumb.

"I want to experience it all naturally. No pain relievers. Nothing," I rasped.

He gaped at me in utter disbelief then turned towards the doctor.

"Is my wife out of her mind?"

"Not at all. In fact, a lot of women are the same way. They think of everything that comes with childbirth- especially the pain- as beautiful and special," she replied with a smile. "Right, Claire?"

I weakly nodded my head.

Derek groaned in frustration, raking his fingers through his hair and directed his attention back to me.

"Fine. I get it. But if the pain becomes unbearable, you tell someone. Got it?"

"Yes." I offered him a weak smile and he brought my hand up to his lips, gently kissing it.

"I'm gonna go grab something to eat real quick. You want a snack?"

"I'm good."

"Alright then. I'll be back in a bit."

We shared a brief kiss and then he left the room. Eventually, another round of contractions came that left me thrashing wildly on the bed. I screamed for the doctor, and she rushed in, along with several other nurses.

After a thorough inspection, she declared that I'd finally dilated to ten centimeters and was ready to deliver the baby. They wheeled me into a separate room for the delivery process, where Derek was already waiting. The joyful look on his face reflected my own, and I felt like crying tears of happiness.

"This last part is gonna hurt, but all you have to do for me is try to breath normally, alright? And push when I tell you, too."

"Yes," I breathed as a layer of sweat formed on my forehead.

"This is really happening," Derek spoke, stroking my hair.

"I know. I love-,"

My response was cut off by a loud cry as a contraction hit me.

"Relax, sweetheart. You've come so far. It'll all be over soon," Derek soothed, giving my hand reassuring squeezes.

With every push, it felt as if my entire body was violently ripping apart, and I clawed at the sheets and Derek's arm. Tears poured down my face as the sound of my own cries echoed in my ears.

"He's almost out. Ok, Claire, push," the doctor urged. 

"Oh, god! Derek!", I wailed, choking on my sobs.

"I'm right here, baby. I love you, and I'm so proud of you." He caressed my face tenderly, his voice the only thing keeping me sane.

With the final push, I let out an earth-shattering scream, and immediately, the sound of a baby's shrill cry filled my ears, making my heart swell.

Derek Jr.'s cry...my very first child.

"You did it, Claire. Well done," the doctor praised. "Your baby came out face up, and guess who was the very first person he laid eyes on?"

"Who?", I asked weakly.

"Me. God, he's beautiful, sweetheart," I heard Derek speak, his voice thick with emotion. 

" _Very._ Just like his parents. Congratulations, you two," the doctor said cheerfully.

My chest was heaving, and I fought to steady my breaths as I sat up against the pillows, adjusting my hospital gown.

The moment I finally got to hold my baby in my arms was one I'd never forget as long as I lived.

He was so small and precious, and the profound rush of love I instantly felt for him was utterly surreal. Derek sat right next to me on the bed as we both cherished this life-changing moment together.

"He has your beautiful blue eyes," I whispered, nestling into his arms.

"But his face shape is yours. And his lips, too," Derek observed.

"He's gonna grow up to be handsome like his daddy."

"And smart-mouthed like his mommy."

I gave him a mock glare, and he laughed, kissing the tip of my nose.

"Now, for the most important part. What are we naming this little bundle of joy?", the doctor asked as she strolled back into the room.

"Nicholas. Nicholas Scott Weston," Derek replied without the slightest pause. Then, he glanced over at me. "In honor of your best friend."

"Derek...,"

I was at an utter loss for words as tears began to stream down my face. The fact that he thought of Nick was so moving and touching. Even I hadn't thought to name our son after him. And 'Scott', I knew, was his grandfather's name. In that moment, my undying love for Derek grew, running deep into the once dark recesses of my heart.

"Is that ok with you, sweetheart?", he asked, wiping away my tears with his thumb.

"It's perfect. You have no idea how much this means to me." I pulled his face close to mine and gently brushed my lips over his.

"I love you so much, Claire. With everything that I am," he breathed. His eyes were glistening with tears as well.

"I love you, too. God, I'm so happy you're mine."

"Always," he vowed.

We both looked down at our son, who was peacefully asleep in my arms. No matter what happened, he'd forever bind our lives together.

"Welcome to the world, Nicholas," I said with a smile, gently touching his cheek.

"Mommy and daddy love you, buddy. Just don't give us too much trouble, alright?", Derek said with a playful tone. I laughed.

"Do you wanna carry him now?", I asked him. His eyes immediately lit up.

"Can I?"

"Of course you can, Mr. Weston," the doctor assured with a warm smile. "I can already tell you two are going to be wonderful parents."

"Thanks, doc," Derek said.

"I'll give you some alone time with your son now for a bit. Let me know if you need anything."

We thanked her and then I carefully settled Nicholas into Derek's awaiting arms.

As I watched the love of my life cradle our newborn son in his arms, I couldn't help but shed more tears. This was an image I wanted ingrained in my mind forever.

"Can you believe we've come this far?", I spoke, laying my head on his shoulder.

"It doesn't even seem real sometimes. I still remember those months in the beginning we spent hating each other."

"Me too."

"But getting to wake up next to you every morning...that's as real as it gets for me, sweetheart."

At that moment, Nicholas let out a yawn, his mouth forming a perfect little 'o', and Derek began making ridiculous baby noises while kissing his tiny feet. I absolutely adored this new fatherly side of him.

Until I met Derek, my whole life, I'd only experienced death and the pain and suffering that accompanied it. But today, I was able to witness the creation of a new life for the very first time.

Nicholas was a blessing, and I couldn't wait to nurture him alongside my husband in the years to come.


	44. Family First

 

"Oh, Nick what on earth are you up to now?", I groaned, heading in the direction of my son's cry while picking up all the toys he'd thrown on the ground. 

When I reached the living room, my eyes lit up in amusement at the comical sight before me. Buttercup, our beloved golden retriever, had dozed off and unfortunately, Nick's baby blanket lay beneath her. I watched as he struggled to pull it out, falling several times on his butt. 

"Mommy!", he cried, running towards me as I took him into my arms. 

"You want your blanket?"

He nodded his head then pointed a chubby finger at Buttercup. 

"Bad dog!"

I couldn't help but laugh at my adorable son and scooping him up, we both approached Buttercup. Gently, I tugged the blanket from her. She stirred slightly but remained sleeping. 

"Here you go, dear." I handed Nick his blanket. 

A huge grin split his face, and my heart warmed as he gave me a peck on the cheek. 

"I wuv you, mommy."

"I love you, too, Nick." I smiled, ruffling his hair. 

In a lot of ways, he reminded me of my late best friend, Nick Schneider. Their joyful attitudes were contagious and both loved watching hockey. As soon as he was old enough, I'd let him play.

It only felt like yesterday when Derek and I laid eyes on our son for the very first time, but in just four months, he'd already be turning two. Like we'd originally hoped, Nick had been an excellent baby and hardly ever cried during his first months. 

He'd learned to talk pretty early, too, and "dada", was the first word that had left his mouth. Derek almost cried that day when he heard it. Unlike me, he still went to work, but since Nick's birth, he'd cut back on his hours at the office in order to spend as much time with us as possible. As a result, Keith had begun to gain more responsibility. 

There was no denying how amazing a father Derek was. He always put our son's needs before his own, and on the rare occasions that Nick  _had_  woken up crying in the middle of the night as a baby, Derek had been the one to cradle him back to sleep. 

I always told him to leave the job to me since he was the one that had to work early in the morning, but he refused, saying that I needed to preserve my strength to "make more babies." Between the both of us, I did have a harder time falling back asleep. Nonetheless, I adored his selflessness. 

As the months passed, Nick had grown to look so much like his father. Their blue eyes and smile were pretty much identical. The only features he'd inherited from me were his hair and face shape. 

He was the sunshine of my life, and every day, I soaked in the rays of happiness he brought to me. 

My mom absolutely fell in love with Nick when she came to visit us during his first Christmas. We had a huge reunion that included both my side of the family and Derek's. 

The whole time, I'd wished my father were still alive to meet his grandson. Although I couldn't physically see him anymore, I always felt his presence in my heart, and that was what mattered most. 

I had plenty of stories about my dad that I'd spend the rest of my life telling Nick. He'd live on forever that way. 

"You wanna bake cookies?", I asked my son. 

"Yes!", he exclaimed, scrambling out of my arms to run towards the kitchen. 

I followed him and together, we gathered the necessary ingredients to make chocolate chip cookies. Nick and his dad were huge fans of cookie dough, so I set aside a separate bowl for them. 

"Can I lick the spoon, mommy?"

"Of course." I smiled, handing the dough-covered spoon to him. 

He beamed and proceeded to stick the entire thing in his tiny mouth when we heard the sound of the garage door opening. 

"Daddy's home!", he shrieked, dropping the spoon to the floor as he charged out of the kitchen. 

I laughed, picking it up and wiped my hands clean before going to greet Derek. 

"How are my two angels today?", he asked, bending down to give Nick a kiss on the forehead. Then, he turned towards me and flashed his signature breathtaking smile. 

"We're super, daddy!", Nick said happily as Derek lifted him into his arms. 

"That's what I like to hear." 

"How was work?", I asked. 

"The usual," he replied, pulling me to his side for a kiss, "but there's nowhere else I'd rather be than home with you two." 

I melted into his warm embrace, and just when I thought about how wonderful it'd be to have him in bed right now, the oven went off. 

"Are those cookies I smell?", he remarked. 

"Yup," Nick said. 

"This Friday just got a whole lot better." Derek grinned. 

After stuffing ourselves with cookies, the three of us took Buster and Buttercup out for a walk in the neighborhood. Derek talked about his newest hotel project in Tokyo, and I offered ideas when he asked for them. He was backed by an entire architecture and interior design team, but the fact that he still wanted to hear my input felt special.   
  
Later that night, we all had pizza for dinner- Nick's request- in the living room while watching a game of baseball. My focus wasn't on the TV at all, though. Instead, I was mentally preparing myself for the huge surprise I had yet to deliver to my family. 

During the following commercial break, I decided to go for it. 

"Nick, come here, sweetie," I said, patting my lap. He eagerly crawled into it and looked up at me with his big, blue eyes. 

"What's wong, Mommy?"

"I have some exciting news for you guys."

"What news?", Derek asked, his curiosity piqued. 

I took a deep breath then spoke. 

"Nick is going to be a big brother."

Derek's entire face brightened as Nick began to bounce animatedly in my lap. 

"You're...pregnant?"

"Yup. You knocked me up, Derek... again." 

"Knock what, mommy?", Nick asked, looking slightly confused. 

Derek smirked, playfully punching my belly as we both began to laugh. 

"Basically, there's a baby boy or girl growing inside of Mommy right now," he explained. 

"Weally?"

"Yes, kiddo."

"Yay! I'm a big boy now!"

Nick was smiling ear-to-ear, and I held him tight in my arms. 

"I need a celebratory drink," Derek remarked excitedly. 

"Go right ahead."

He leaned in to give me a kiss then his lips were at my ear. 

"Million bucks it's gonna be a Claire Jr. this time," he whispered. 

"We'll see," I said with a smile. He chuckled.

"God, you're incredible."

"And that's why you love me."

"Indeed I do."

He stood up to go make a drink, and I playfully swatted his fine ass, which earned a huge laugh from Nick. The soon-to-be big brother. 

**10 Years Later**

I stared at the clock in my office, counting down the hours until I could finally leave. Derek was going to pick me up and then the four of us were heading to the airport for a two-week vacation. 

Paris. The city of lights. 

I'd always wanted to travel there but never had the chance to. Ever since I was promoted to project manager five years ago, my schedule became totally booked. Luckily, there was a break in my work for the next couple of weeks that allowed me to go on vacation. 

This would also be the perfect opportunity to spend some quality time with my family. As soon as Sophia had turned two, I went back to work. (Yes, Derek had once again accurately predicted our child's gender.) So, Heather and James offered to take care of her and Nick during the day. Then either Derek or myself would pick them up in the evenings. 

I missed those days in the past that I got to stay home with my kids, but on the other hand, my job promotion had been too good to turn down. Being the caring husband he was, Derek was hesitant at first because he didn't want me working long hours.

My job was definitely stressful and demanding, but I finally felt like the strong, successful woman I'd always dreamt of becoming. My incompleted degree from Stanford was no longer a reminder of failure and regret. 

Unfortunately, time seemed to be slipping out of my hands these days. I hadn't gone for a run or hung out with any of my friends in what felt like forever. Several years had passed and yet here I was, a 34-year old woman still struggling to balance her life at home and work. 

As I focused on polishing my presentation for the board of directors, a sharp pain hit my chest, and I dropped my pen, waiting for the sensation to pass. It lasted about two minutes then I resumed my work. 

I'd been experiencing minor chest pains for the past couple of years now, and Derek insisted I go see a doctor, but I told him there was nothing to worry about. They were probably just due to stress or lack of sleep. 

It was six o'clock when Derek and the kids came to pick me up after my presentation, and seeing their happy faces lit up my entire world. 

In the car, I braided Sophia's blonde hair while listening to her talk about the new girl she'd befriended on the soccer team. My 9-year old daughter was the sweetest thing on the planet, but man, she could be such a fireball at times, especially on the field. That's why she was named the team captain of her league. 

Likewise, Nick was achieving success both on the football field and in school. Although he was only in sixth grade, his math and reading courses were those of an eighth grader. I always thought he'd grow up to play hockey, but it turned out he only liked watching it. 

My children were my pride and joy, and I couldn't wait to see what great things they'd accomplish in the future. 

***

We stayed at the Ritz Carlton- a world-renowned hotel located in the heart of Paris. Besides its beautiful attractions and delicious cuisine, I loved hearing the French language. It sounded so elegant and romantic, like music to my ears. 

At the very first restaurant we'd dined at, Derek had ordered our meal in fluent French, and as embarrassing as it was to admit, I felt so hot and flustered.

And he knew, too, because later that night, he'd made love to me while whispering sweet French words in my ear. I almost died. 

Our fifth day in Paris was spent at a professional soccer game. It was an extremely popular sport over here, and the kids loved it, especially Sophia. 

When it became dark, we had a dinner cruise on the Seine river, and the view was absolutely breathtaking. Lights illuminated the entire city, and the Eiffel Tower stood tall and majestic for all to see. 

Eventually, the kids grew sleepy, so we drove back to our hotel. The more time I spent in Paris, the more I didn't want to go home. It felt so nice to not have to worry about work for once.

Suddenly, the thought of returning to my old position as financial analyst didn't seem so bad anymore...After all, wasn't family supposed to be most important? 

I immediately thought of my own mom, who'd been living alone since my father passed away...

"Thanks for taking us to the soccer game, dad," Nick said as Derek and I tucked him and his sister in bed. 

"You're welcome, kiddo."

"Mom, what are we doing tomorrow?", Sophia asked. 

"We're gonna go up the Eiffel Tower. Doesn't that sound fun?"

"Yes!", both siblings exclaimed. Derek and I shared a smile. 

After saying good-night to our kids, we headed outside to the balcony and I leaned against the railing, watching the streets down below.

"Beautiful night, huh?", Derek spoke, coming to stand behind me as his arms wrapped around my waist. 

"It really is."

I turned around and gazed up at the man I loved beyond words. He'd only grown more handsome with age, and his dark hair was longer than it used to be, giving him a distinguished appearance. Even now, he still gave me the butterflies. 

"Hey, Derek?"

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Do you ever think about the future?", I asked.

"Always. I see us growing old together, living to be 100 while our kids are off pursuing their dreams. And you'll still look beautiful, and I'll only love you more and more each day."

My heart fluttered at the tender way he looked at me.

"That sounds lovely."

"Doesn't it? I'm just curious. Why'd you ask that?"

I shifted slightly in his arms. 

"I was just thinking about my father. He probably had the same vision of his future with my mom. Only his life ended all too soon."

"I know. But you and I will make it, as long as we love each other."

Unfortunately, sometimes love just wasn't enough. Over the years, I'd learned that there was one thing love couldn't conquer- death. 

After seeing what happened to Nick and my father, I only hoped that life wouldn't play its cruel tricks on me again. But the scary thing was that life was unpredictable. So as a result, my vision of the future tended to be less than perfect. 

For me, every new day was a blessing that I never took for granted. I was beyond grateful to have such a loving husband and the most wonderful children. They made me complete. That's why I aspired to be the greatest wife and mother I could possibly be. 

As Derek held me in his arms, I wanted nothing more than for life to be this way forever. 

But it wouldn't.

 


	45. Forever and Always

 

September came right around the corner, marking the return of Friday night lights. There was nothing I enjoyed more than watching Nick's football games. Sophia, unfortunately, had broken her ankle so she was out for the soccer season.

"Come on Nick, sack that guy!", Derek yelled, punching the air with his fist.

"Dad, this isn't even high school football. No need to get so worked up," Sophia said with a laugh. She was seated between her father and I on the bleachers.

"Are you kidding me? Every game counts."

"You know, you should just coach the team yourself, dear," I said.

"I'm going to. These coaches don't know what the hell they're doing."

He raked his hair in frustration then stood up with his hands on his hips, surveying the entire field. Just when he was about to speak, cheers erupted from the crowd as one of Nick's teammates ran twenty yards for a touchdown.

A look of satisfaction crossed Derek's face, and I smiled to myself, knowing all too well how much he enjoyed competition. In fact, he'd never lost a deal for his company before. I was jealous of him sometimes- he had no idea what it felt like to lose. At all.

Well, except for that time I ran away from him over a decade ago, and he nearly lost _me._

Nick's team ended up defeating their opponent 20-7, and to celebrate, we all went out for ice cream in La Jolla. Derek and I shared a banana split while the kids had giant cones.

"Got any plans for the weekend, dad?", Nick asked.

"Well, I was hoping to take your mom out for a date tomorrow, so you'll spend the day with Grandma and Grandpa."

Derek gave me a sideways glance, grinning boyishly.

"A date? Aww that's so romantic," Sophia sighed.

"But you two are already married. What's the point of a date?", Nick contested.

"I just miss spending time with your mother. We're always so busy with our jobs, I barely see her anymore," Derek replied, reaching out to grab my hand.

Nick frowned slightly.

"If getting married means turning all...soft like this, I don't think I want to."

"Oh, shut up, Nick. Just wait til _you_ fall in love with some girl," Sophia countered.

Derek and I exchanged a glance and then we both burst out laughing. Nick rolled his eyes, and Derek playfully ruffled his hair.

"Believe me, son, I wasn't always 'soft' like you think. Ask your mom, she'll tell you."

"Leave me out of this," I joked as I resumed eating my ice cream.

"So you'll go on that date with me tomorrow?"

"I wouldn't miss it for the world."

He gave me the most breathtaking smile, and my heart began drumming rapidly in my chest. Nothing had changed- everything about him still made me weak in the knees.

That night, I slept exceptionally well after making slow, sweet love with Derek, but in the morning, I woke up to an empty bed.

Frowning, I clutched the sheets to my chest and checked my phone to see if he had left a message. None.

Just when I was about to call him, my head turned towards the door at the sound of footsteps. Derek strolled into the room, dressed in jeans and a black polo, looking as handsome as ever.

He caught my gaze, and a roguish smile slowly spread across his lips.

"God, what a view," he said with appreciation.

Immediately, my cheeks began to burn as his eyes raked over my naked body. He crawled onto the bed and with one swift yank had the sheets on the floor.

"Derek," I gasped when his lips met my neck, sucking gently. He was hovering over me, and I felt utterly consumed by him.

"How'd I get so damn lucky," he murmured, circling an arm around my hip. I pulled his face up to mine, getting lost in his beautiful blue eyes.

"Believe me, darling, I'm the lucky one," I whispered, stroking his cheek. He smiled, shaking his head and leaned in to kiss me.

"I dropped the kids off just now," he mumbled against my lips.

"Mhmm."

Our kiss grew more heated, and I let out a moan as his hand reached out to knead my breast. He rolled my nipple to a hard peak between his fingers then his mouth replaced his hand.

"Oh, god," I cried, clutching his broad shoulders as my body ached with pleasure.

His lips worshipped my breasts before trailing lower. Kneeling at the foot of the bed, he grabbed my ankles, spreading my legs apart. Desire glistened in his eyes as he stared at the most intimate part of me.

"You're so beautiful," he groaned before his mouth devoured my throbbing core. I cried out in utter ecstasy, and he clutched my hand in his as he sent my body to heaven.

With every lick of his tongue against my sensitive nerve endings, I trembled with pleasure, and not too long after, I felt an orgasm building up inside of me.

"That's it, baby. Come for me," he urged.

I cried out his name, and my body convulsed as I came violently. Tears blurred my eyes, and the next thing I knew, Derek was back at my side, stroking them away with his thumb.

"Just thought I'd give you a proper good morning," he teased, covering my sated body with the comforter.

"That was more than just proper."

"I know." He grinned playfully. 

"I love you, Derek."

"I love you too, darling. Now how about you go shower so we can leave for this date of ours?"

"Will you join me?"

"I already showered this morning."

I pretended to pout, and he chuckled, climbing out of the bed. I craved moments like these when it was just me and him. Yes, I loved our kids with all my of heart, but it was nice to have some alone time with my husband every now and then. 

"So, what's the plan for today?", I asked Derek when we got inside his BMW.

"Today, we're taking a trip down memory lane," he replied with a smile.

"Ooh, I like the sound of that."

Derek drove us to Richard Walker's Pancake House for breakfast, and immediately, memories of the mornings Charlotte and I'd spent here in the past filled my mind.

I hadn't seen her for almost a month since she had left for a vacation to Spain. Like me, she and Elliot also had two kids- one boy, one girl.

"Remember the first time you took me to this place?", Derek asked.

"Yes. We went for a long run, and I ate like a pig. You were probably judging me hardcore."

"Not really," he said, taking a bite of his pancakes. "So what if my wife has a bigger appetite than me."

He smirked, and I punched him on the arm.

After breakfast, we spent the afternoon at Seaport Village and took one of the boats out for a sail. It truly felt like Derek and I had gone back to the earlier days of our marriage, and I couldn't help but feel nostalgic.

We'd practically been strangers then, and the journey towards us finding love was one I'd remember forever. At La Jolla, Derek coerced me into playing a round of golf, and just like that time at his parents' charity event, I sucked badly.

"You know, this was probably one of my favorite days of all time," I remarked when we were eating dinner at SeaWorld.

"Me too."

"I'm curious, though. Of all the places we could've ended the night with, why SeaWorld?

Derek smiled, taking a sip of his wine.

"You don't remember?"

"Remember what?"

He set his glass down.

"You and I shared our first kiss here."

And then the memories of that night came flooding back. The way I felt so warm in his arms despite being drenched with water, savoring the taste of his lips for the very first time...

"It was also the night I realized I was falling in love with you," he continued.

My eyes lifted to his, and I suddenly felt extremely emotional.

"Really?"

"Yes. You were like a breath of fresh air- so youthful and innocent- unlike other women I'd met. Seeing you carry that ridiculous giant fish around-"

"His name was Shamu," I interrupted. 

He laughed.

"Yes, Shamu. But anyway, I remember thinking about how you were the girl I'd spend the rest of my life with. And the idea didn't seem so bad as before. It turned out you weren't the cold, closed off person I'd previously thought you were."

"This is quite a story to tell our kids one day, huh?"

"I can't believe it myself. Like I said before, sometimes I feel as if I'm living in a dream the entire time."

"Only it's not a dream."

He grinned, leaning back in his chair.

"Thank god."

Every spring break, people at my workplace often asked me which vacation destination I considered to be paradise, and I always answered with "nowhere in particular."

Because for me, paradise was simply wherever Derek was.

Sadly, my 'vacation in paradise' ended all too soon, and Monday morning, I was up early and ready for another day at work.

"Breakfast is ready!", I yelled from the kitchen.

Nick and Sophia came running down the stairs then sat down at the counter to eat their omelets.

"Are you and Dad coming to conferences tonight?", Nick asked.

"Yup, we'll be there. I'm sure your teachers have nothing but wonderful things to say about the both of you."

They smiled happily.

A few moments later, Derek rushed into the kitchen, grabbing a piece of buttered toast and the coffee I'd prepared for him.

"Alright, I'm off to work now. Have a great day at school, kids," he said, kissing them both goodbye. Then he turned towards me.

"Good luck with your presentation today. You're gonna kick ass."

I laughed, and he pulled me in for a brief yet passionate kiss.

"I love you, Derek."

"I love you, too, darling. Forever and always."

Then he was gone.

Fifteen minutes later, the kids left on the bus for school, and after cleaning up, I headed to work as well. For the first two hours, I coordinated with the members of my team to decide how we were going to execute our presentation.

During that period, I experienced another one of my chest pains, but unlike previous times, this one lasted for quite a bit. I even had to sit down, which caused worry among my coworkers.

"Are you ok, Claire?", Adam- a senior financial analyst- asked.

"I'm fine," I lied, involuntarily rubbing my temples as I began to feel lightheaded. For a second, the room became a spinning blur, and then it was clear again.

"You don't look fine," another coworker commented.

I stood up, slightly disoriented, and resumed the task at hand, ignoring the concerned looks everyone gave me. However, as another hour passed, I started to feel worse than before, and finally, with defeat, I made the announcement to my team.

"I'm sorry, everyone. I don't know what's going on with me today, but I have to go home. I'm not feeling well right now. You all will be fine without me during the presentation."

Before anyone could have the chance to say a word, I grabbed my purse and left the room. I wasn't trying to be rude, but I needed to get home immediately. My back was tightening up, and it was suddenly getting hard to breathe.

I dreaded to admit it, but something very wrong was happening to me. Only I had no idea what it was.

As I drove, my hands grew damp with sweat, and the road turned blurry. Luckily, I made it home safely. I practically stumbled out of the car and when I got to the kitchen, everything started spinning.

"Oh my god," I cried, clutching my chest as I felt intense pain shoot through me.

911\. I needed to call 911.

With a trembling hand, I attempted to dig in my purse on the counter to grab my phone. That same instant, my vision began to blur again, and the last thing I heard was the sound of my purse falling to the floor before everything turned black.

**Derek's POV**

The entire day at work, I kept thinking about my wife and the amazing weekend we'd spent together. I never thought it'd be possible to love her more than I already did, but god, as the years went by, I'd fallen even deeper for her.

She was a wonderful mother, and the kids absolutely adored her. If her father were still alive, he'd be so proud of the incredible woman she'd become.

"What are you feeling today? Chinese or Italian?", Keith asked when we were finally able to take a lunch break around three after our conference meeting.

"Chinese. I could use some General Tso's chicken right now," I replied, patting my stomach.

"Chinese it is then. How about we walk over to that place nearby? It's too nice to order in and sit in the office."

"Sure."

On our way to the restaurant, my phone started vibrating in my pocket, and I pulled it out, surprised to see that it was a call from home. Claire was still at work, so it was either Nick or Sophia. They never called during my work hours before, so I couldn't help but feel slightly anxious.

"Hello?", I answered.

"Dad, you have to come home immediately!", an anguished Nick cried into the phone. Immediately, I began to panic.

"What's wrong, buddy?", I asked worriedly.

"We just came home from school, and m-mom-"

"What about mom?"

"I-I don't know what happened to her, but she's lying unconscious on the kitchen floor," Nick wailed, choking on his tears.

As soon as the words left his mouth, I felt my world come to a grinding halt. Keith must've seen the shocked expression on my face because he looked at me with utter concern.

"Ok, Nick, listen to me. I want you to call 911, and then you and Sophia wait for me to come home, alright? I'm leaving right now," I said urgently, struggling to keep my voice steady. No matter what, I had to make sure the kids remained calm as possible.

"Ok. Please hurry, dad!"

"I will. Love you, son. Take care of Sophia, too."

"What happened, man?", Keith asked once I hung up the phone.

"It's Claire. The kids found her lying unconscious at home on the floor."

"Holy shit. I'm leaving with you."

"No, you go back to the office and tell everyone to plan our next business trip without me. I'll be fine," I said, my mind a whirlwind of different emotions.

"Drive carefully. Update me as soon as you're at the hospital."

I nodded then sprinted down the street towards the parking garage where my car was. The entire drive home, I mentally prayed that Claire was ok. My hands shook as I clutched the steering wheel, terrified to face the situation that awaited me at home.

Just this morning, I'd kissed my wife good-bye before leaving for work, and to think that she'd somehow become unconscious chilled me to the bone.

Had someone broken into the house?

Realizing that Claire had been home before the kids, I eliminated that possibility. There had to be a reason she'd left work early...but what was it?

As soon as I turned into my driveway, another thought crossed my mind. I remembered Claire telling me a couple of times in the past that she had minor chest pains, but we'd both thought that they were effects of stress.

Now, I was beginning to feel like those pains weren't quite so minor after all.

"No...," I muttered out loud, rushing inside the house as I felt my body become numb.

"Dad!", Sophia exclaimed when I entered the kitchen.

"Where's mom?", I asked, my heart beating rapidly in my chest as I pulled her into my arms.

"The paramedics brought her to the hospital."

"Did they say what happened to her?"

Sophia was about to reply but burst into tears the very last minute, burying her face in my chest. Nick came running out of the bathroom and like Sophia, he was crying as well. 

"Nick, what happened to mom?", I asked, shaking with fear.

"She had a heart attack."

And just like that, my life turned into ashes at my feet as the image of my beloved wife from earlier today burned bright in my mind, her hopeful, radiant smile the only light getting me through the darkness that I knew was about to come.

***

"Does Claire have a family history of heart attacks?", the doctor asked while I sat in the waiting area with the kids.

Numb. That was all I could feel right now.

"Her father and grandpa both died from them," I replied, my voice barely audible.

"I see," the doctor said, taking notes on his clipboard.

"She did complain about having chest pains every now and then, but we thought they meant nothing. Maybe just minor heartburn."

"Heart attacks can happen to anyone. However, since both Claire's father and grandfather had them, that put her at a greater risk."

"I know...why didn't I ever think about that? But she always seemed so healthy."

"That's exactly what I'm talking about. You couldn't have possibly known," the doctor said.

My entire thirty-six years, I'd never had to visit the ER before, but now here I was, waiting for my wife to miraculously wake up. The beeping of the heart monitor was the only thing keeping me sane as I sat next to the bed, staring at the beautiful face I loved more than life itself.

The face I would no longer get to wake up next to every morning.

My eyes roamed over her lips, the lips I'd kissed a thousand times in the past and would never feel against mine again.

Five hours ago, the doctor had delivered the heart-shattering news: Claire wasn't going to make it.

The kids didn't know yet, though, but I'd tell them when Claire was truly gone. As long as I could see her heartbeat on the monitor, she was still alive.

My parents were out in the waiting area to comfort the kids, and I couldn't even imagine the pain they felt right now, not knowing if their mom was going to make it.

I reached for Claire's hand, brushing my thumb over the wedding band I gave her nearly fifteen years ago as unshed tears began streaming down my cheeks. She felt so cold, gradually slipping away from me.

"God, who ever thought your life would come to an end like this...", I murmured, my heart constricting in my chest.

"We were supposed to send our kids to college, see them get married, grow old together...oh god, the kids," I cried, dropping my head on her chest as heavy sobs shook my entire body.

"How am I supposed to raise Nick and Sophia without you?"

_How am_ _I_ _supposed to live without you?_

That night, as the hours went by, I wept like I never had before, and then finally, at 5:25 the next morning, Claire was pronounced dead, and a part of me died along with her as well.

Too much of her vital heart tissue had died, so her heart was incapable of pumping effectively on its own.

In just the span of twenty-four hours, I'd gone from having everything to nothing at all. If it weren't for my beloved children, I had no idea how I'd be able to live with myself.

That morning before leaving the hospital, I made a promise to Claire: to be the greatest father I could be to our children. Nothing would make her happier than that, and from now on, I'd always live to make her happy.

**Three Years Later**

It was a crisp autumn day in Minnesota, and the kids and I were outside with my mother-in-law, setting up Halloween decorations for the house.

Although we all tried our best to be cheerful, inside, we were bottling up feelings of pain and grief. Today marked three years since Claire's death. I'd never expected the first funeral I'd ever attend to be my own wife's, but until now, that heartbreaking day remained fresh in my mind.

Her mother and I had agreed to have her be buried here in Minnesota, so she could be with her father. After her death, I'd thought about selling our giant house, but at the same time, we'd made unforgettable memories there. I couldn't let them go. So in the end, I decided to keep the house.

Eighteen years ago, I married Claire Elizabeth Delaney. At the church that day, our wedding vows had been the seal to a business partnership. But as time passed, our vows had become the seal to something much more. A marriage with everlasting love.

And although Claire was gone, I'd never stop loving her.

Her death hadn't drifted us apart. In fact, it'd only made our connection grow stronger. Now, I knew what it felt to have loved and lost. Just like she had.

Later that evening, all four of us drove to the cemetery to leave flowers at Claire's grave. I honestly couldn't believe how God could've been so cruel to Elizabeth. To have lost both her husband and daughter at such young ages...

We were all quiet as we stared at the words engraved on Claire's headstone when Nick spoke up.

"Are you ever going to remarry?"

His question caught me off guard, but when I answered, it was as certain as could be.

"No. Your mother may be gone, but in my heart, I'll always be married to her."

I gave him a sad smile, and both he and Sophia snuggled closer to my side.

"And yes, darling, I'll never leave you. Just like I promised all those years ago," I whispered to her grave.

A gentle breeze ruffled the trees, and I knew Claire had been with us all along.

**The End**

 


End file.
